本文选自美国作家Jim Willis的畅销书《Pieces OfMy Heart-----Writings Inspired by Animals and Nature》，以自述的形式讲述了一只家犬对昔日主人的真情告白。当年作者用七千美元以全版广告的形式在报纸上刊登了该文章，以一篇文章感动了所有的读者。
When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?"-but then you'd relent, and roll me over for a belly rub.
当我还是一只小狗的时候，我的顽皮滑稽每每惹你发笑，为你带来欢乐。你把我叫做你的孩子，虽然家里许多鞋子和靠枕都被我咬得残缺不全，我依然是你最好的朋友。无论什么时候我干了“坏”事，你总会对我摇摇手指说：“你怎么可以这样呢？”不过最后你都会原谅我，把我扑倒然后搓我的肚皮。
My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs," you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.
你非常忙碌，但是我们还是一起努力让我改掉了乱啃家居物品的坏习惯，虽然所花的时间比预期的要长。我依然记得那些夜晚，我总会跳到你的床上用鼻子蹭你，倾听你的知心话和秘密的梦想，那时的我觉得生活简直是完美无瑕。我们常常去公园散步和追逐，乘车兜风，偶尔停下来买雪糕吃（我只能吃到雪糕筒，因为你说“吃雪糕对狗狗的身体不好”）。每天我都会在太阳下长时间地打盹，等待着你傍晚回家。
Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with gleeat your homecomings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a "dog person"-still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy.
渐渐地，你把更多时间花在工作和事业上，而花更多时间去找寻你的另一半。而我总会耐心地等你回来，在每一个绝望心碎的日子里给你安慰，永远支持你哪怕是你糟透了的决定。每天只要你一踏进家门，我都会欢快地扑向你，迎接你回家。终于，你和她——也就是你现在的妻子——谈恋爱了。她并不是一个“爱狗之人”，但我还是欢迎她来到我们家，还努力向她表达我的友好，并听她的话。因为你开心，所以我也开心。
Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love." As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch-because your touch was now so infrequent-and I would have defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.
后来你们添了几个小娃娃，我也跟你一样万分雀跃。我被他们粉红的小脸、甜甜的气息深深地迷住了，我也想像妈妈一样好好照顾他们。然而你和她却怕我会弄伤他们，大部分时间都把我关在另一个房间里，甚至关到笼子里。唉，我多想好好地爱他们啊，但是我却成了“爱的囚徒”。随着孩子们慢慢长大，我也成了他们的好朋友。他们喜欢抓着我的毛摇摇晃晃地站起来，喜欢用指头戳戳我的眼睛，喜欢研究我的耳朵，也喜欢亲吻我的鼻子。我喜欢他们的一切，尤其喜欢他们的抚摸——因为你现在已经很少触摸我了——如果有必要的话我会用我的生命去保护他们。我会偷偷地溜到他们的床上，倾听他们的忧虑和秘密的梦想，和他们一起等待你的汽车开进家里的车道。
There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf. Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.
曾几何时，当人们问起你有没有养狗的时候，你总是从钱包里掏出我的照片，向他们讲述我的轶事。可是近几年，你却只是简单地回答“有”，随即就转换话题。我已经从“你的狗狗”变成“只是一条狗”了，你甚至为在我身上花 的每一分钱而生气。现在，你的事业迎来了一个新的机遇，你们要搬到另一个城市去，移居到一幢不许养宠物的公寓里。终于，你为“家庭”做出了正确的抉择，可是曾几何时我就是你唯一的家人？
I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her". They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers". You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar, as he screamed "No, Daddy. Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.
坐在你的车里我充满了期待，然而我们到达的却是一家动物收容所。那里弥漫着猫儿和狗儿的气味，还有恐惧和绝望的气息。你填写好文件后，对那里的人说：“我知道你们一定可以为它找个好归宿的。”他们耸耸肩，露出为难的神情。他们很清楚一只已到中年的狗将要面临的悲惨命运，纵使它有着各种各样的证件。你不得不掰开你儿子紧抓着我项圈的手指，而他哭喊着：“不要！爸爸，求你不要让他们带走我的狗狗！”我很替他担心，因为你刚才教他的人生课程：什么是友情、忠诚、爱、责任，还有对所有生命的尊重，是多么的歪曲错误！
You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"
你避开我的目光，最后一次轻轻拍我的头说再见，并礼貌地拒绝带走我的项圈及皮带。我知道你赶时间，而现在我也知道自己的大限将至了。你走后，两位好心的女士说你可能在几个月前就知道自己要搬家了，却从来没有试过要为我另找一个好的家庭。她们摇摇头说：“你怎么可以这样呢？”
They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you-that you had changed your mind-that this was all a bad dream…or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me. When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited.
虽然这里的人整天忙得团团转，但只要有时间，他们总会尽量照料我们。在这里我不愁食物，可是数日以来我已经食不下咽了。刚开始，每当有人经过这牢笼，我都会满心期待地冲上前去，希望是你来了——以为你回心转意来把我接回去——希望这只是一场噩梦……或者至少是有人来关心我，有人愿意救我出去。当我意识到我永远都不可能争得过那些嬉笑打闹的小狗时，我退到一个偏远的角落，静静地等待着命运的到来，而他们显然对自己将要面对的命运还一无所知。