狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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; K9 S* t  B. `/ \" O  SBeing 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。
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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.

& d" c8 K( x8 o7 j, W( d6 LBelker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。

% L( `; Y; ?/ w' D8 BI 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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* \: ~7 Z1 U" W" j& y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。

+ g! p, ~. \- N8 V6 A2 uAs 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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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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% }6 T% L) d+ K2 W8 p) ^) kThe 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.

$ w1 E7 h% V- [8 p. w- o  S/ u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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( [- B% j. _+ ?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."

8 v/ d7 s3 H  V& j' t" L  F( a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?"
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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？」

- n7 o' g9 _8 C; E5 d# Q. Y4 EThe 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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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)
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- s0 L0 Z! W% k& Z1 N* l3 l) s詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

; T: {, o; ^5 s( I/ Y9 Z2.transition：過渡，轉變

" @& t5 _8 o: g* a  B3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

8 c" g7 d% C9 p/ c( S1 J. q8 U% ~●狗老師的啟示…
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  n/ H* Q5 n, n. j/ k) IRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

; C' m: T* x8 u7 M# C0 E( c; p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.

% W1 J2 D( R: Y/ H$ Y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.
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

3 |7 r2 S' ?) T7 ~; \9 SThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

0 E5 a5 R4 r' W1 L. p8 V高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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5 U. \# B  T, _3 DBe loyal.
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忠誠。

. J7 n( D& W' r8 I/ X: `4 aNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

9 D! }% r  _  N) y9 F/ A: ^When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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5 C' r7 n- v) D+ B& a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/ e( c; c$ I1 E. h. f( ERead 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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