Hachiko is an Akita dog, famous for his legendary loyalty to his master. If you happen to visit Tokyo, make sure to visit Shibuya Station and take a picture with the bronze dog statue (naks, the way I say it parang I've been there na.. ahaha!)Story has it that Hachiko was very loyal to his master. Everyday for the life of his owner, he sees him off in the morning and waits for him at the nearby Shibuya Station every night. So Hachiko and his master always go home together every night from that station to his owner's house.
One night, Hachiko went to the station to eagerly wait for his master. But train after train, his master was nowhere to be found, not in one of the thousands of passengers. Little did Hachiko know that his master met his death and will never ride the train again and therefore, no longer meet him in the evenings.
But even after ten years after that day, Hachiko still goes to the station every night, as if still hoping that his master will step out of the doors of the train...
Hachiko became famous. His owner was a professor in the University of Tokyo and one night, after the professor's death, one of his students noticed that Hachiko still waits every night. So the student followed Hachiko and he found out that the dog still goes home to his master's house. The student published a story about Hachiko and in 1934, a bronze statue was erected at the Shibuya Station and it became a symbol of loyalty for the japanese. Hachiko died in 1935, just outside the station...
**Ptr Bong shared this story at the Tagalog service today at CCF.
Can you imagine the extent of the loyalty of that dog to its master? The way I see it, the dog has his mind and heart focused on pleasing his master alone. I am not expert on leaving conditions in Tokyo but I am certain there are surely days and nights of thundering rain and I can just imagine a dog running towards the station, unmindful of the rain, the cars passing by, the people around him... nothing mattered, just the thought of seeing his master again after hours of separation throughout the day.
Who would know what goes into a dog's mind? Maybe it was out of sheer duty that he chose to walk that same path every night. Or maybe even out of fear... Or simply just out of faithful obedience...But when I heard that story... I thought, will I ever be that faithful towards my master, the lover of my soul? Will I gladly wake up every day and start my day walking with my master towards the station? Will I faithfully travel the same road every night, despite of whatever weather the night brings... Will I be waiting patiently, eagerly for my master when He finally arrives? And during those times that I can't seem to see my master, even if I dutifully walk every night... Will I still be the loyal dog, with blind faith, will I still continue that walk... Will I still do my duty as a dog even if I'm faced with years and years of absence from my master? Like hachiko, will I die "on duty"?
Too many times I've awoken and too many times I simply go to the day without even saying "Good Morning, Lord!" or "Thank you, Lord for another morning!"
Countless nights I just sleep without again reporting to my maker. Too many moments I have just forgotten spending time with my God. And in those times that I feel like He has abandoned me with the many problems I have, I have also abandoned Him. I have forgotten to be faithful and to just put my trust in Him.
Oh, how I envy Hachiko's devotion to his master.
When will we have that 100% faithfulness and devotion to our own master, I just wonder...
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