狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
( n- _: a' R, Y4 H! o3 j
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.
# g0 O+ Y. Y0 Y+ t
1 S1 v0 I1 q( D& [( r% @6 {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。
1 \4 b: o6 G8 I7 w
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.

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。
9 u5 u0 T. f* n6 y8 J
# V$ i; T. a2 ^8 ?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.

4 D( [' S# _- \4 @" c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。
* ~9 h; n- D4 O* R% `4 y6 d
8 S) q% ~  t: ?; b" C% yThe 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.

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。
4 s) u+ D3 N) l: [) G
! D- ^0 \3 n- ?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.
+ {0 U( o1 J! W/ V; z: C' _, 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。

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

  U3 t& u# s, D2 j7 \6 V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?"

0 T( t, m( i$ c. q" 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？」
8 K1 D" R+ E( F5 \8 ]- `
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

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)

! L2 \4 I& F$ l4 t詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
8 k9 [( ]( X; ~# R7 Y4 V& T2 @
# J& C0 Z7 q$ A1 `! o8 V3 s2.transition：過渡，轉變
$ Z. s7 B8 a, K" e
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…
' C, I$ [' z6 P0 N. V; ~( |. ]
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

2 {: I8 w- P" a) T! i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.

當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
* [2 k  e2 E2 h3 J; I8 i
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
# y/ o& Y, I# ]" ]9 A( o  M9 A7 l
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
( i0 E, |, b7 t, C  }
/ I$ O3 J: h. U  t# l* \- A  ]! fThrive on attention and let people touch you.
. x% q! a: b6 c4 d( }
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
. f0 h- w$ ]# P+ N9 g
$ t$ R; b1 P/ i$ l" E* E高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
) N4 B, u% N: h. \, [! ?+ U
6 I5 J( V1 Y4 a9 hBe loyal.
6 V: q& A" @9 D+ f+ B' I& X
忠誠。

2 x" ]- K& C0 H8 @+ GNever pretend to be something you're not.
3 V7 m. _4 t+ v% l
永遠不假裝。
, {! T- ?* ]. b: Z
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
/ K  ^% _5 G: F# J" Q* @
; _6 E2 I8 n6 N1 S( z' x# `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。

( F/ W% V+ j3 h8 jRead 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
. a9 \1 {; J6 H