狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

, U, V4 l" O, F, ^: M! K$ V" L1 WBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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  v. r& p! t4 P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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# {8 w& |; [9 ^/ |- m* y6 g% hThe 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.

7 F0 ~# j5 }! p' K$ E+ y3 MBelker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。
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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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8 a. j* J1 |" F% H% C3 i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。
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" R6 `: n$ ?, P  j; m' n  c2 RAs 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.

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.

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。

6 c. B& v, D- n6 P# WShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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+ a9 [6 Q- @7 A* H4 E靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
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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？」
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4 a* l, }4 o# [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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4 [/ e2 ]. o3 ]9 J1 u2 Z8 t  D- E5 h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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; j3 M! M$ c' z詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

2 t- D$ G, e) F$ I) ~# h: b) kRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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6 X5 e6 c! ~! h/ z記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

% D- D+ [  h6 {) F3 K' ]When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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3 w( a/ d: ?' T  S當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

8 G, T( u0 F" O( W7 K0 H8 V" bNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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, K8 E% ]0 A2 l$ ~! k& _隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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. g& @' b4 T1 F! z7 i& J高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

忠誠。
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& [" ^& |* y9 r1 eNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

5 w9 E4 }  C" iWhen 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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