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.
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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.
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5 n+ I3 N& S9 _7 M+ q) x; l, xBelker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。

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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6 q7 \1 a0 P' H* P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。

, b( f" b9 g! k; K0 x: Y1 NAs 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.

; ?+ Q0 S) b+ l$ w: 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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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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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。
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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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) b8 g- U- `: D% b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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) [# E7 ]+ ]# f( P/ v; u9 B8 U9 q3 YShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

' Z* u* v5 n: W( C1 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。」

9 V$ N- S. ]$ S0 o6 k: t+ CStartled, 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?"
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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？」

The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
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2 N0 x+ ~2 S' m* X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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' F6 N' |) d# B& a6 Q. R2.transition：過渡，轉變
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* ~. v& ^" J! T, E' ]! H8 C: f3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

& b5 b; e$ T- p●狗老師的啟示…

0 L/ x8 m4 H3 V1 z$ M) [Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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8 a' w5 D4 P" r; t記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

/ x) S5 [+ f0 _+ _* pWhen 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。

" c$ ]: Z% ]* e8 INever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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6 e! m8 S, \1 g5 F) X( h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.

  T+ M# P. Y; r3 e- m隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

: w$ ]4 M! d% D. h8 J高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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! H. }( M8 g/ Q% }/ FBe loyal.
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& S  ?* m$ |" x# Y6 t" L0 i忠誠。

7 H; I# k- s, E$ BNever pretend to be something you're not.
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0 ^+ W6 y8 j3 W/ A, d: D5 g, ]永遠不假裝。
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. k/ D# V. T4 y, r4 l" MWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

6 R# l, V8 x0 x0 Q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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