A Dog's Enduring Love

Hachiko, courtesy Wikipedia

I spent the weekend crying. It was a bittersweet experience. I had watched the television story " Hachi :" A Dog's Tale. It ripped my heart out.

You have heard many incredible dog stories about loyalty. This one, is the original dog loyalty story. It dates back to 1924, when Professor Hidesamuro Ueno brought Hachiko, an Akita puppy to Tokyo . 

The pup used to stand by the door of his home to see him off each morning. At 4:00 pm in the afternoon, Hachiko waited for his beloved owner at the train station. One day, the Professor did not get off the train. That did not stop Hachiko, as this faithful dog continued to return to the station at precisely the same time, every day, until his death 9 years later in 1934. 

Ueno had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died in the hospital. The dog was given to relatives who lived far from the train station. However, Hachiko continually escaped to going back to the same site to wait for the Professor. 

I cannot think of any human this loyal. My love for dogs' goes way back to my earliest memories. I can remember watching Lassie Come Home and bawling my eyes out. 

Perhaps my pain comes from the fact that I longed for the true love this dog gave to his master. Having absentee parents, the emptiness is so deep that it stays with me - to watch this film was like adding salt to an open wound. 

Animals, like Hachiko,, teach us about life. The show us loyalty without boundaries. .Loyal dogs, like Hachiko diie every day for their masters'. There are stories about pets standing guard at their owners' graves - refusing to eat or leave. 

I had a German Shepherd that I had to put down. She suffered from cancer, she became so ill that she could barely lift her head. My faithful love, stared at me until she could no longer keep her eyes open.


Gretel was probably cut from the same grain as Hachiko . She was a fierce body guard, She used to pace room- to- room looking in on the children. She was always "on duty" and forever devoted to the family. 

I keep telling myself I will not buy another pet, because it is too painful to lose them. Yet, I cannot imagine life without the true love and devotion of a dog. It frightens me that some day, in the not too distant future, I will not be able to care for another pet.

I pray that this day never comes. 

I am eternally grateful for this God-given gift. Dogs are a treasure.They are worth more than any amount of money. The bond I have with them is stronger than any human friendship.

I know that they love me too, I only need to gaze into their eyes to see how much.