狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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  j* ^9 e5 L( [. H, A4 M% A4 H' T2 GBeing 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。

7 V$ L6 m8 p/ PThe 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.

; k: z/ O. a& P" C: E( g7 sBelker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.

6 c! }9 U- R% q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。

; C  n& u. l+ f9 aAs 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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6 C6 Y+ z6 h! ^- ?( w. @. T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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, O$ W/ u' r# J- \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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' `+ c) W% V6 n7 z2 _7 s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。

" ]- @# L. U4 L. a- MThe 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.

: C" K. ^# I& q; V& G3 Q8 Q4 c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."

) E* }! z: g& [6 s$ s靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

2 L5 s* O+ R5 S" M- i4 |( ~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?"

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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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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+ A5 g0 P+ z  W4 @詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變

2 @' F- |% h: Y7 e7 r3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

* F9 L! `; B6 f4 _, U  i# R! Y5 ?0 d●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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+ k( ~' D* z' D; oWhen 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。

0 r7 `0 F9 @$ P5 O) a% fNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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* h: a6 A, T% @0 {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.
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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.

# n+ L( V+ ?& F6 Z7 C2 n高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

忠誠。
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Never pretend to be something you're not.
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! z6 t3 w1 o6 a1 h! \( {永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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" D" ]1 A1 K6 v/ 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。
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