Friday Reflections

Give the ones you love wings to fly

 

Point to Ponder: I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. --- from The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston

Story Line: Late last year many of our friends were busy visiting various college campuses with their children who will be graduating soon. Now that the verdicts are in and college selections are made, great preparations are going on for the journey to the new world for children. For parents it is the time of mixed emotions; happy to know their children will enter the next phase of life while they will need to adjust to the life without them; an empty nest.

While we are getting the updates from our friends, one humming bird conducted parallel activity right by our window under the extended roof; she laid eggs, had two cute babies and cared for them until they flew out. My mother and I watched the entire process; me observing several times a day while my mother spending a lot more time. The journey from the birth to an empty nest are captured in the video at the top.

It was fascinating and educational to see how the hummingbird mom selected the location; safe from predators and environmental conditions. (But not good for our recently cleaned window.J).  Even during the gusty winds of 40 miles per hour, the nest and babies did not fall down. The location was hard for bandits like Raven, Blue Jays and Mocking Birds who were constantly scouting for newborns (Spring Feast) from a large pole or nearby trees. But this location would have been too hard for them to get in and easily fly out.

She also made sure to come for feeding only when the bandits were not around. When they were on the pole or trees, she would fly around them and then go inside some far tree to distract them about the location. She fed each baby for almost equal time.

Ten days after birth, the babies started flapping their wings in preparation for the upcoming flight. Reminded me about plane flights where pilots do pre-checks before starting take off. The first one took off on The Tax Day (4/15) and tried his newly acquired flying skills for a few hours. But it seemed that it had hard time catching bugs so returned to the nest to join the sibling for the family lunch-on. Seemed the mother had some words with him/her because after that meal he/she never returned to the nest but was seen catching bugs in flight with the mom. Guess the first time he/she had flown off without proper training. (not listening to parents to be patient)

The second one was a late bloomer. Seems like he/she had filed an extension and waited for two more days to fly off. And fly he/she did. Right in front of the Blue Jay waiting on the pole. Risk Taking, Near Miss or Confidence; Whatever. Mom made sure that the little one knows the danger by flying with him/her that afternoon and also conducted proper training in catching bugs.

For the past two days, my mom and I are dealing with an empty nest. On the positive side, all of them have come by to greet in early morning or late afternoon.

Reflection: There are so many similarities in how different species prepare their young ones for the world they would be living in. Watching the entire process was educational and pure joy. (Even Window cleaning will have pleasant memories.)

Many events of this story are captured in a short video at the top of this reflection.

As many parents are getting ready for dealing with an empty nest, I would end with the following thought: Be Happy-You Did Good.

Note: For countries with no Youtube Access Use Vimeo Platform Link: https://vimeo.com/331296081 

A Beautiful Message by Arthur Ashe : Why Me?

The legendary Wimbledon player who was dying of AIDS, which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. He received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: 

"Why did God have to select you for such a bad disease?" 

To this Arthur Ashe replied: 

50 Million children started playing Tennis, 

5 Million learnt to play Tennis, 

500 Thousand learnt Professional Tennis, 

50 Thousand came to Circuit, 

5 Thousand reached Grand Slam, 

50 reached Wimbledon, 

4 reached the Semifinals, 

2 reached the Finals and 

when I was holding the cup in my hand, I never asked God: 

"Why Me?" 

So now that I'm in pain how can I ask God: 

"Why Me?" 

Happiness keeps you Sweet! 

Trials keep you Strong! 

Sorrows keep you Human! 

Failure keeps you Humble! 

Success keeps you Glowing! 

But only, Faith keeps you Going! 

Sometimes you are not satisfied with your life, while many people in this world are dreaming of living your life. 

A child on a farm sees a plane fly overhead dreams of flying. but, a pilot on the plane sees the farmhouse & dreams of returning home. 

That's life! 

Enjoy yours... 

If wealth is the secret to happiness, then the rich should be dancing on the streets.
But only poor kids do that. 

If power ensures security, then VIPs should walk unguarded.
But those who live simply, sleep soundly. 

If beauty and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should have the best marriages.
Live simply, be happy! Walk humbly and love genuinel

 

*Thanks to Sujat Shah, a very engaged reader of FR and an incredible humble soul, from India for sharing this beautiful story. 

Exceptional Employees: Last I heard, we get paid for making things possible

Ability is what you are capable of doing, motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz.

Storyline:

Early in my career, one boss gave me sage advice: “Companies hire us to make things possible, not to report why things are not possible”. Throughout my career, I have seen many examples of people who do not stop for the “impossible”. Here is one such story:

You don’t have the right degree.

Many years ago, while looking for a person to manage our business systems, we interviewed a young man who had just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in business. Knowing fully well that he did not have a degree in Computer Science, as was normally required; we took into account the fact that he was a computer fanatic from the age of eight and displayed tremendous enthusiasm to tackle new challenges. It was a risk, but the interview team felt that it was worth it.

You can’t get onto the corporate roadmap.

During the first month, he noticed that our small group needed some key applications, but was told that it was impossible to get on the corporate group’s roadmap. So he decided to learn programming himself. Instead of going to a full semester course with a fee of $3,600 that others had done, he bought a book for $32 and got started on the basics.

We don’t have the budget.

Then came the second hurdle. We did not have the budget for the server to host our applications. He found out that a local IT department had recently upgraded some systems and had put the old ones in the warehouse. He got one for free. In the process, he made friends with the technician who provided invaluable support, and who was later himself promoted into new roles.

The customers hate dealing with IT.

His customers were used to support groups that measured their success by the number of tools delivered, instead of tracking if it had solved the customer’s real needs. As a refreshing change, he patiently listened to various internal customer/user groups’ needs and then focused on delivering solutions rather than just systems and tools. Customer satisfaction had never been higher.

Starting up a business is the biggest challenge.

When, after 5 years with us, he left to pursue his own venture, the stamp on his exit paper read “Eligible for Re-hire” (as soon as he is available.) I expect these same qualities will help to overcome the next level of obstacles in starting up two businesses destined for success.

Originally Published: July 2007. Repeated because of many readers requests

Update 2019: His business has grown very well with delighted customers and great team of highly motivated employees.

Reflection:

In the words of one my mentors, “The difference between a very successful person and not-so-successful one; between a 5 figure and 7 figure income is not in the technical or content knowledge. It is given that you need that. The key differentiation is in how you carry yourself with respect to attitude, relationships, communication, commitments…

Highly Motivated Employees (The Young and the Restless Part 1)

POINT TO PONDER:  “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” - Pablo Picasso.  Isn’t the same thing true about employees? New employees come with good credentials, enthusiasm, ambition, high hopes and many with a lot of passion. The challenge is how to keep up those qualities once they get melded in/sucked in to the organization’s systems for a few years.

STORY LINE: Originally Published April 17, 2014. Republishing with minor edits.

A few weeks ago, I received one very touching and wonderful email from a supervisor about an employee who was leaving the company. The note mentioned about the significant contributions of this person; many beyond the normal job scope. It also stated the high value that customers, partners and peers had seen in this employee. The person’s “can do” attitude, high energy and enthusiasm had influenced and impressed whoever had interacted with her (me included). It was clear from the note that this person had made a big impact on whatever or whomever she had dealt with. I read the note over and over again until it dawned on me that this person that the supervisor wrote such a nice note about was with the company for only 20 months (out of school). Now that made it even more powerful that in such a short time the person had made such an impact.

In my 39 years career, I too have been fortunate to have coached some employees like the one mentioned above. My experience with such employees is that they are not motivated by money or by positions, but more with constantly new challenges, trust in them to carry on big tasks (not treat them like kids or starters), reinforcing their value to the company and providing occasional guidance. They are self-starters, and as a supervisor/coach one needs to just keep raising the bar. Some will stay and some will move on (nothing personal, just that their reach may be farther than what current environment can offer) but whatever time they spent, they will make a big impact and enlighten and inspire others around them. In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche, The surest way to corrupt such a person is to instruct him/her to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently. Give them freedom, trust and encouraging feedback about their value and create a culture where they will thrive.

REFLECTION: From Pablo Picasso Quote in PTP (applies to any Young* and Restless)
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.

*young applies to both in age and mentally young.

Readers feedback from the Original Publication included in the comment section

Next Week: Last I heard, we get paid for making things possible...(The Young and the Restless Part 2)

 

 

The Hero's Journey

POINT TO PONDER: Follow your bliss. - Joseph Campbell

STORY LINE: by Rajiv Shah

We want to revisit one of our favorite stories, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. On first glance, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a story about marching to the beat of your own drum, following dreams, pursuing your passion in the face of adversity and forgiving others when they condemn you for doing so. It incorporates all these elements, but I realized upon my viewing of the entire film that JLS follows the classic Hero's Journey myth structure.

The Hero's Journey was popularized by Joseph Campbell who was a writer and mythologist. Campbell found that many classic stories follow a pattern (including Jonathan Livingston Seagull) and an extremely abridged explanation is outlined here that we can apply to our own lives:

The Call to Adventure - This is where the main character is at a point in their life where they are at the brink of change. Either the character can be seeking the change or the call to adventure comes from an unexpected source (death of a loved one, fired from a job, life is in danger.etc). In JLS this step is represented in Jonathan's need to fly faster and higher than any seagull before. In your own life is there something that you seek? A higher sense of fulfillment whether personal or professional, a yearning to explore, or a need to challenge? Whatever that thing is, that is your calling.
Refusal of the Call - The main character avoids the call due to doubt, familial obligations, expectations (societal, personal, or familial), or fear of the unknown. In JLS (around the 20 minute mark) Jonathan has flown higher than he ever has before but crash lands into the ocean. Injured and alone he floats on a wooden crate - for the first time doubting his calling, his belief in himself. He thinks, "I've got to live with what I am. I promise this day that I will be a seagull like every other seagull." Sound familiar? I don't think I need to illustrate how this applies to our own lives as many of us get stuck in this phase of the hero's journey, doubting our passion and ability.

Crossing of the Threshold/Road of Trials - The point where the main character reenters their journey is sometimes with encouragement from another and sometimes from an internal calling growing stronger within them. At this point there is no turning back, the main character ventures further into the unknown, past fear and doubt. The character will undergo a transformation from the experience (usually tough) and emerge with a new understanding and/or a new self. In JLS as is true in other works, this is can be the point of death though it is not always the case. In our own lives, and since you are reading this - you are not dead yet (at least I hope not...) - it can be a metamorphosis from your old way of thinking/self usually into a new one.
Apotheosis/The Ultimate Boon - The achievement of the goal. Moving to divine knowledge, transendence and attainment of the calling. In JLS this is the point when Jonathan has learned to fly highest, fastest, and is even able to transend his physical body. For us, well... I wouldn't know what this looks like and it would be foolish for me to try to teach anyone this as I'm searching myself. But I think it's in the search for this that we find peace and bliss, however brief or lasting. Some may find this in family, some in career achievements, and some might find it in jumping from one thing/place to the next. But when we find it I hope we take the next step:

Master of Two Worlds/Freedom to Live - With this new knowledge, bliss, and transcendence the main character returns to his place of origin in order to share those experiences with others and the world at large. This is so that others might find their own path and their own peace. In JLS this is done when Jonathan returns to the flock seeking to teach them that they can fly as high and fast as they dream. For us, it is the need to teach, to pass on what we've experienced in order to help another on their path. Paying it forward.

REFLECTION

The Hero's Journey is one that all of us have within us. It reflects the nature of our search for meaning. We all find it in different places but the calling is always there. Sometimes the fears and doubts get so loud that we don't take the journey and find what we are truly capable of. It's easy to given in and stop searching, deciding that what we seek can't exist.

This need, the quest for meaning, is not only reflected in stories like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but is ingrained in spiritual texts such as the Bible and the story of the Buddha. It permeates most TV shows and movies, from Lost to Batman. It can even be found in the cycle of birth. It is a mythology that is interwoven into the very fabric of our existence - in the little place inside of each and everyone of us that dares to answer the call and seek our greatest potential.

Come to the edge, he said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, he said.

They came.

He pushed them and they flew.

~ Guillaume Apollinaire

Reader's feedback from the original publication on July 26, 2012 is included in Comments section.

 

 

Never look down on anyone unless you're helping them up

Point to Ponder: "And my goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance." - MJ

STORY LINE: written by Rajiv Shah

I recently watched a film about the late Michael Jackson's life, THIS IS IT. I've been a fan of his for a long time – his music, his humanitarian work, and his capacity for compassion even when the world condemned him. One of the segments in the film touched me deeply and got me thinking about the theme of today's reflection.
            
Michael Bearden was hired as Michael's music supervisor on his last concert tour. A concert that never happened due to Jackson's untimely death. Bearden was recalling his strongest memory of Jackson- an encounter he had during their rehearsals together. The memory revolved around their shared first names, Michael.
            
Bearden and Jackson were working on a musical selection when Michael Jackson stopped and said, “Bearde, you know what our name means? Well, our name means one who is most like God.”
            
Bearden shook his head triumphantly and a cocky smile broke across his face.
            
Jackson was quick to stop him, “no, no, no, we got to be humble. We gotta be humble.”
            
Bearden could see Jackson sobering. “I am humble MJ. Why are you so serious about this?”
            
“Well, I don't want God to take our gifts away.”
            
Bearden shook his head, “I don't think that's going to happen. And I think your gifts are greater than mine.”
            
Jackson was heated, “no, no, no, don't say that. Don't say that.”
            
“Well, why MJ?”
            
“Because you're here with me and I'm here with you. And we have to use our gifts together to help people figure out what their gifts are.”
 

Bearden was speechless. Here was arguably the greatest entertainer of all time telling him that they were there to help other people discover their own gifts. Bearden would add that Jackson's humanity, his empathy, and compassion are what set him apart. For Michael, in Bearden's estimation, truly did care about people.

            
Reflection:
 
Much like Bearden, at first glance I misinterpreted what Michael had initially said about being most like God. Just like Bearden, I thought that Jackson was self-congratulating himself for his own gifts. That God had chosen them, to bestow onto them, these unique qualities and for that reason were better than others.

So I watched the segment again. And again. And the more I listened, the more I came to realize that Michael Jackson wasn't operating from the same motivations we sometimes do. Being like God didn't mean that they were to put themselves onto a pedestal, but his talent was a responsibility to help others find their own passion through the gift he was given - music.

How often do we use our talents and our gifts to exalt our own own needs? How often can we say that we used our strengths to help another shine? And if not, why? Why is it we feel there is only a finite amount of talent, a limited amount of joy, and why do we feel we must keep it only for ourselves?

So the next time we look down I hope it is not to look at how far we've risen past another, to congratulate ourselves, but is instead there to help another up – to use your passion to encourage another to discover their own 'gifts.'

 

Originally Published on April 8, 2010. Felt Appropriate to revisit the reflection now.

Happiness is a Choice

POINT TO PONDER

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.  - Mark Twain

 

STORY LINE *

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years taking care of patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded her experiences with those patients and she found common desires among them. They were published in a book called "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying."

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

 Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what  others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

 

*Originally published on August 4, 2103. 

 

In 2019, Please eat your lunch on time

Points to Ponder:  You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.
"If you don’t take care of yourself, nobody else would." advice from one senior manager in my first company.(1975-83)

Story Line: It was four o’ clock in the afternoon. Having no meeting for that hour, I went to the break room in one part of our company building. While sitting on a sofa, I noticed a guy sitting on one of the tables in the corner, eating something. A few minutes later his coworker walked in and asked, “Eating an early dinner?” To which he replied, “No, eating late lunch.” They chatted for a short while and then she left.

Having overheard the conversation, I approached the guy to confirm what I had heard that he was eating his lunch at four in the afternoon was true. To which he nodded yes. Even though it was not be any of my business, I felt compelled to ask the follow up question, “Do you have a family?” He told me that he had a wife and a little girl. I could see the shine on his face when he mentioned about his little girl. He seemed to know where my line of concerns/questions was heading. So before I could say anymore, he told me that his work had to be finished because of an aggressive project deadline.

I told him, “God forbid but if you don’t take care and something happened to you what would happen to your family?” I noticed the degree of concern building up on his face. I continued “My friend, in case something happened to you, the company policy allows only seventy five dollars for sympathy items; flowers take up most of it, and some department managers who are fanatic about cost might insist that the money must include the sympathy card and the delivery cost. A few friends from work might stop by to see your family for the first few months and then follow up with occasional phone calls to your wife. But in the most cases that’s as far as it would go. “Please take care of yourself first” I said. I believe he appreciated what he had heard. We had a very warm handshake before going our own ways.

A few weeks later, I saw him eating lunch in another breakroom of the company. It was two o’clock in the afternoon. Upon seeing me, he immediately said, “Making progress.” And we both smiled.

The very last time I saw him was in the hallway at 12:45 in the afternoon. As soon as he saw me, he signaled Thumbs Up. I expressed my pleasure with a smile.

Reflection: Why this story came to mind now? Last Year, seven people I knew from my 40 years in industry left this world. Five between the ages of 59 to 72 from one company I had worked for and the two at 79 and 88 from the first company I had worked for. One of the common messages that two of them gave to the friends who had come to visit them in their last days was: You have to take care of yourself first.

Happy New Year to All Readers Around The World.

 

When What You are and What You Do are aligned…

La'ie Point, Oahu

Point to Ponder: May be the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. May be it is about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you so you can be what you were meant to be in the first place. –Author Unknown

Story Line: In response to the Friday Reflection Be Yourself in late June, a reader Prasad Vepa commented as follows: Your cryptic reflection is sound indeed. It is similar to the last line of the advice Hamlet received from his father: “Above all, to thine own self be true!” The well known observation from Rumi points to the same insight: I kept knocking on the door until I realized I was inside! We generally knock on other doors hoping to find compatible shelters and voices until we realize we need to not knock — but unlock — our own door from within to find and uncover our authentic self in the cave of our own heart.

I would say that ‘Being yourself’ is necessary, but not sufficient. It is much more important to KNOW yourself. Otherwise one runs the risk of acting like one of our presidents who suffered from the illusion of being ‘The Decider’ and erroneously concluded that it conferred upon him the powers of a Nero and the wisdom of a Solomon! But he was being himself. The duty to awaken from our long, deep slumber of hazy illusion and to uncover the truth of our deepest self is the highest human obligation as Vedanta teaches us and as Shankara proclaimed. This truth will set us free and liberate us from suffering, which is really caused more by ignorance of our true self than by desire. When you know yourself you WILL be yourself. And your thought, word and deed will be aligned.--Your dear friend, Prasad Vepa

While reading his comments I remembered one of old colleagues and the choices he made about 18 years ago.

Reflection: I worked with him in late 90s. He was an engineer, easy to work with and very good at what he did. At the age of 38 he decided to return home to be with his aging parents; giving up on a very lucrative career, opportunities of Silicon Valley and all the rewards it could have brought him with his talent.

During our trip to Oahu in May, My wife and I spent two days with him reflecting on the time that had passed. His goal was to spend a few years after graduation on the mainland and then return home. Some would assume that he must have “Made It” in order to give up on the future rewards this growing industry would have brought. From what I know that wasn’t the case. He did what was consistent with who he was and what he wanted out of life.

Prasad Vepa’s comments and the story of my friend are appropriate to end the year; the time to reflect and also time to look forward.

The Story of Yudhisthira and His Dog

 

Sully the service dog accompanies Bush one last time

POINT TO PONDER
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. -James D. Miles

STORYLINE by Rajiv Shah (Retold from the Mahabharata)
Yudhisthira finally stood at Indra's chariot. Indra loomed over Yudhisthira - a noble and skilled man - and his trusty companion, an ugly dog that had joined him one day on his trek while he was resting under a tree, alone and tired. He had lost his brothers on the journey - one by one they died - from starvation, the bone chillingly cold nights and the brutality of the heat during the day. One by one they were taken from him. It was when his last brother perished that he found himself at his lowest, under that lonely tree, when the dog appeared to him and never left.
They had been searching for Indra's chariot on that mountain to take them the final way to the gates of heaven. Yudhisthira and his brothers had heard finding this place, this paradise, would bring them peace. They were brave men and many believed they could make the journey through the treacherous mountains but in the end it was Yudhisthira alone, with his trusted dog, had made it.
Together he and the dog had passed over jagged rocks that cut them, hot sand that burned, painful thorns from unwelcoming bushes, and deep mud that threatened to suck them in and not let them go. When they found food - sometimes Yudhisthira finding it, sometimes the dog – they always shared it. When neither found food, they starved together. And as sometimes only loneliness can bring to two creatures, it brought Yudhisthira and his dog love. He trusted the dog with his life.
His dog was looking up at him and he patted his head. They had finally made it to the place they were searching, and Indra's voice bellowed out to him, “oh, you finally arrived! I have been waiting for you so long! It's a pleasure to have you here in my chariot, let's fly to heaven.”
Yudhisthira and his dog took a few steps toward the chariot when Indra raised a hand, “But... the dog can't come, look at it, it's old and thin. It's not worthy of my heaven.”
His dog stopped and Yudhisthira looked down at him. The dog laid down at Yudhisthira's side, resting its head on his cracked paws. Yudhisthira looked back up at Indra, “I'm sorry, if the dog can't come with me, we will turn around and go back now. I thank you for your invitation, but I cannot leave this animal. He has been my faithful companion during this journey.”
Yudhisthira headed back down the mountain, the long arduous path they had just come.
“Stop,” Indra cried out.
Yudhisthira turned and discovered not his dog on the ground where it had been, but the dog transformed back into its real shape: the God Dharma.
“Now you can come, this was your final test and you showed that you deserve to come with me.” Indra opened the doors to the chariot and Yudhisthira stepped in. Indra closed the door and off they went.

REFLECTION
The dharma, represented by the dog in this story is the representation of the only way a person can attain peace. And within this story, the path is found through righteousness not because of what Yudhisthira will attain but because of the intrinsic value of doing what was right.
This begs the question of whether we do good things because of what we feel it will bring us: appreciation or reward.
*I was inspired to focus on this story from the Mahabharata and the picture of the week after reading a moving article about a dog refusing to leave his owner, a fallen soldier. The story can be found here: Best Friend

Update: This story was originally published on Sept 10, 2011. https://fridayreflections.typepad.com/weblog/2011/09/yudhisthiraandhisdog.html

Being republished with a new photo after reading the following very touching story about President George H.W.Bush and his service dog Sully. Sully the service dog accompanies Bush one last time.  Sully

The readers comment in the original publication are also being republished in the blog comments.