狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

0 ^0 i, k: w' W( Q$ xBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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+ c. f" e/ o7 Q) O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。

( Y5 e" @* T, E- j& _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.

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。

* m* W8 e+ l1 T: h' L$ q" qI 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.

* {% [* D3 t* D. ?  j) z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.

! L' S; g' E+ r) K" O3 X, w2 R5 @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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1 ?$ c/ M; u7 S* x: W# Q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.

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。

3 K0 b: d7 I, g3 B/ \. xShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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- I! Q% s7 s7 G+ [( {靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

/ j$ J5 v- k: ?, p, Z8 mStartled, 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？」
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8 K/ K7 d2 {) P6 u1 Y1 B2 P. rThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

  L7 x. s9 ~2 q/ ^% m8 D' ]7 D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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* {  \8 S# J2 {& G1 y3 x' Z$ H詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變

, z6 g% X: `' o/ J+ x& A3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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1 D2 V; T* [% R; {●狗老師的啟示…

/ j. _8 {' S( E0 ~1 [8 bRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

, y# [" K  o2 O記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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6 G6 a; b$ D  T* L: s0 yWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

5 H8 H, o! I2 q5 Y當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

# z6 T* Z/ g2 P8 \& ZNever 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.
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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.
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

) r- ~  F( E- {Be loyal.
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0 z! \* ?8 x/ T% M$ w' R9 |忠誠。
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Never pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

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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