狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch

, x9 Z. c. j4 _4 BBeing 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。
/ x2 _: e; L) R9 _
1 T: w; ~  g" V# }1 rThe 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。
; ^6 N( r) P: _- t8 K+ L# _* j
6 E' l7 Z! z( g4 F$ S1 u' vI 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。
! s: }( {! @, c/ H1 X3 c2 R
1 j  n. L: L* T, \" N# U! GAs 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.
+ _% ^; M; n: S0 x
9 b9 ]3 h5 r- ^) x* B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。

4 D7 @7 r' z" AThe 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.
8 |9 j8 G$ s. P0 L
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.

# b, ?* M2 a; J' f5 M  _4 x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。
; Z. D, p0 P) i% h, ]) D
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

; d- v" C* U7 {' w靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
! W6 ], ?) E7 n0 m2 T5 o
# w) |8 c& ~8 W# k! ]( jStartled, 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?"
4 V+ X# x, g( s: u  D
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？」

  |9 D- C9 n; O$ ?/ g$ _- |  xThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
" m: t- t+ w! f/ x4 }+ G) M
6 h% e/ V, k( f! W9 M9 H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)

詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

( m5 k$ k! Z3 G  A) D# f9 K: O$ j2.transition：過渡，轉變

+ ?7 V/ ?" ]& P" U* g3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
9 a. z& D( a  c
●狗老師的啟示…
) V) a8 b  K" y  u0 I
; W2 L6 u* S6 o6 g% ]) @- TRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
. S4 _) ^$ v8 Q* [" y% v
; @9 g: ^6 B* v/ S- P記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
, \. e9 D  W3 u9 n# b" }  y
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
' l' \* s' K9 f# a
$ U( A* X+ n6 ]3 X當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
9 ]/ k/ m' A1 {4 F) c
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
2 W. x" G& }8 y
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

: R2 c* k" Y3 {  L2 g隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
4 r/ S/ s4 j* q( J9 k
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

, Y. X8 h% \) J9 G+ l忠誠。
; M% S2 [7 l& C; w5 A, g: p7 e: Y
Never pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。

6 ~) y2 {! l1 \* d2 @% E" RWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
6 J% A) v! G5 r8 W" \& c
3 b2 n& ?9 n! W9 x6 b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。

Read 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