狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.

身為獸醫，我曾被找去為一隻名叫「Belker」的10歲愛爾蘭獵狼犬看病。

The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

. j- z6 u; ~5 Q$ c% \9 V1 SBelker的主人羅恩，他的太太麗莎和他們的小男孩西恩都和Belker感情很好，也都期待奇蹟發生。

8 c( E! s  ]: D: O; b( `I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
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$ b& ^3 B+ {8 \8 s- `檢查後，我發現Belker罹患癌症，回天乏術；我告訴這家人，我們無法幫Belker做點什麼了，也建議在家中為牠實施安樂死。
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" |' d9 m/ W% l; c' M0 U: RAs we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
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. s7 e( a7 T/ m3 V( O在我們準備的時候，羅恩和麗莎告訴我，他們覺得讓西恩觀察整個過程會是好事，相信西恩也許能從這段經歷學到一些東西。
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4 ?% Y% O! p! v1 y/ hThe next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

+ w9 P: A- C$ B" f  N" G隔天，這家人圍繞在Belker身邊時，我和以往一樣有了哽咽的感覺。西恩似乎很平靜，最後一次輕拍這隻老狗，我甚至懷疑他是否真的瞭解情況。幾分鐘之後，Belker安詳地死去了。

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

2 r. {% u; M$ t3 ^9 ]* A- a9 d3 ?小男孩似乎沒有太多困難和疑惑就接受了Belker的離去。我們在Belker死去後一起坐了一會兒，感嘆動物的壽命總是比人類短這個哀傷的現實。

$ H$ R7 J2 r5 g7 RShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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. ~% q. W: V$ f: G5 ^# t靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"

! j: k' |. M) Z# m我們非常驚訝地轉頭望著他，接下來他說的話，令我大為感動，是我聽過最令人欣慰的解釋。他說：「人們出生就是為了要學會如何過好生活，比如愛身邊的人，好好對待別人，對嗎？」
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The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

7 P4 h5 K7 S0 F9 q! }+ `這個6歲的孩子繼續說：「而狗狗原本就知道怎麼做到這些了，所以牠們不需要活那麼久。」(取材自allone.com)

1 c) _: A6 `  n; S$ `詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

5 R. o9 k/ U4 h●狗老師的啟示…

" N6 d6 `+ x6 k$ H: i/ t+ G; A% A$ oRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

9 g+ I* g5 ?& S  O' b) \. p當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

( n" Q5 @- h7 a, ]$ W: r5 F! ?Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

, e: |) z2 J  q7 y永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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5 |: q  }, D) E4 a% {8 bThrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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& d3 u8 G9 z  K高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

忠誠。
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8 W1 T+ Q2 K6 B5 v3 G/ t/ DNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

% L% T; \* l" l$ ~. I  y+ c如果家裡有人不開心，保持沉默，坐到他身邊，溫柔地拱拱他、安慰他。
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