Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.    

Soju and Li-Ann - Lost and Found

 

 Soju is one of the five dogs I have at home. Li-Ann, my daughter age 16 loves them very much. Last year, I brought Soju in my car to fetch my daughter back from school. The first time I took him to school. Li-Ann was delighted to see him. We went straight to her grandma's place for lunch and it was the first time Soju went to the house. They did not like dogs to be in the house so with the gate closed, we let him roam freely in the house compound. Being unfamiliar with the surrounding, he ran out of the gate when my wife who is also going there for lunch opened the gate. He ran and ran feeling totally confused and frightened. By the time we came out of the house, he had already disappeared. We went round the neighborhood calling his name but after half an hour, he was nowhere to be found. We came back in despair. Tears  flowed down Li-Ann checks endlessly. We went back to our own house. Li-Ann was angry and started blaming her grandma for not allowing Soju to be in the house. My wife for opening the gate. Then I told her," if that is the case, I should be the first one to be blamed to bring him to school. I thought I can  make you happy but instead I brought you miseries". 

Once at home, Li-Ann immediately published the incident in her facebook. She also make 400 flyers with photo of Soju. We went back to the neigborhood and distributed  the flyers house to house and to all the people we met along the way. I also posted photos of Soju in my Facebook informing them of our lost.

By 8pm, a friend of mine called and said that she saw our dog near her place in one of the play ground which is about 2km away from grandma's place. Quickly, we droved to the place. It was pitch dark. We called and walk around there for about 2 hrs but still could not find him.

Reluctantly we went back. By 11pm, another friend who saw the flyer called and said he saw our dog trying to cross a busy street near the supermarket. Our hearts dropped. What if he got knocked down by the cars. Without hesitation, we (my wife, Li-Ann) jumped into our car and drove there. My friend was following Soju all this while and luckily he went to a road with a dead end. 

We took him in our arms. He was whimpering, crying and trembling. Sadness turned to joys and what joy it was.

Dying is Living
A seed must die before a plant grows
“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible.”
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
― Mother Teresa