狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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9 P7 s+ b' U9 N& x% N" NBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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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.

Belker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。

/ E9 q. R' O! L' NI 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.

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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7 X! _; [  l$ ?! O( T- YAs 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.

7 v, `" P# i# Z( X; D1 ^7 t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。

- i  w3 B; u* J' k* ~3 q6 O( B0 [The 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.
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. a3 J6 A* g; n2 n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。

. r" r# F1 r" k3 D; MThe 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.

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。
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

  }0 C) N# P2 K- N靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
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9 ?. a3 f2 Z( z. m& a' sStartled, 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?"

) M" w( Z- Q# o0 M# s( [* Q$ x0 J* v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)

! T( |" H% H9 I) Z3 d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)

4 E. L4 B: T9 z; h8 G. T" u詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

4 k  H5 g( G9 y$ F* I2 J) V2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

9 c% a" e- B9 x. m( wRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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9 h6 e2 A! }" P# A記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

2 L& c' M& \! a8 g) X* c$ HWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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% W) L% Q5 U4 t6 |( l" X1 `2 P4 JNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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5 s6 _. s, f. V隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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/ ?+ @) o$ h: w, S0 RWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

" p5 ~8 A+ ]9 U: Q高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

6 \" e# ?, T* R; [: sBe loyal.

3 G% u- ?: _' Z: i. i0 G忠誠。
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' i: _( n& m5 _5 ^% |5 [! RNever pretend to be something you're not.
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. G. Q0 @0 e" g6 K. w) h" D永遠不假裝。
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" |+ ]7 A* j4 DWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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6 Q8 L- R9 s2 h5 m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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. d$ S  I  x2 e9 s" ?( GRead more: 世界新聞網-北美華文新聞、華商資訊 - 狗狗天生知道如何愛
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