狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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5 s# u: t9 k+ c4 WBeing 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。

8 T- x, w( K% [& P" f) W( xThe 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.
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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。
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( [0 T  x7 m4 a* y3 WI 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' H1 r" n; `. v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。

As 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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, N3 h4 A) p" _/ ?6 k8 y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。

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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8 O, g+ L: e6 ~" V/ b$ R6 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.
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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。

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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: l/ h& D: @, v1 n2 r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?"

( H6 `, N! T4 F5 Z, u' a  B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？」

! \$ Y, _! h7 S; YThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

4 D* E& x( f: G; H4 }- d5 `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
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2.transition：過渡，轉變

' D3 t+ p0 y9 v3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

( h; t3 Q8 V- F, S$ G●狗老師的啟示…
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6 n/ i" p  _3 RRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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, u$ b+ s" V1 O* \* r記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

: E: ]* m, P1 l3 L1 \5 z% pWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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Never 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.

0 @, ]- n2 `3 B隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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" s$ z5 _( Q- ]When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

* G6 F! `, y3 L8 }8 M3 ]: T6 U/ H高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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' ~, r9 k$ D% E( @" s/ w) X" ~5 ?( qBe loyal.

忠誠。
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. Y6 ^* ]7 l) [( G8 n, I+ ONever pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。

; l! t, S' d# |, ], d0 W: GWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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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。

% r( `; j6 ~9 N% wRead 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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