A loyal friend...

Ee Leen told me about Hachiko a couple of weeks ago and I finally got around to watch it yesterday. It is an American adaptation of a true Japanese story about a dog named Hachiko from the 1920s who couldn't be more loyal to his owner.

Hachiko is of a pure Japanese breed known as Akita. It is a GORGEOUS dog. Akitas are known for their loyalty and intelligence. According to the movie, apparently they don't do things just to please you if there is no significant reason. For example, Hachiko never fetched a ball even when his owner taught him how to do it because he didn't see the point of doing it.

But one day, before his owner went to work, Hachiko refused to go with him. This was very unlikely of him because he loved walking his owner to the train station everyday. And he would be there again waiting at the exact same spot everyday at the same time, waiting for his owner to get off work. Even the people around the train station got used to him. Hachiko knew something was wrong. He didn't want to let his owner go.

His owner left for work anyway without him. A few minutes later, Hachiko decided to go after his owner, with a ball in his mouth. The owner saw him and was thrilled because he finally fetched a ball. Hachiko saw him off with a sad look on his face.

At 5pm, there he was as usual, waiting at his spot. But one by one, the people came off the train but his owner was no where to be seen. He had died of a heart attack at the university (he was a professor, by the way). Hachiko knew something like this was going to happen, but he continued to wait, long into the night.

After the professor died, his family gave Hachiko away. But he would escape from his home everyday. Somehow, he found his way to the train station and continued to wait for his master's return at the exact same spot. The people around were touched by his loyalty.

And guess what? He came back to his spot every single day at the same time for the next NINE YEARS, waiting to see his master's face again, to welcome him home, to play with him, to see him smile again. For us, that means waiting for someone for almost 70 years! He waited there until he died of old age at his spot. That is why the people of Tokyo had build a bronze statue commemorating Hachiko at the Shibuya railway station.

Can you imagine that? To show that kind of loyalty to someone practically your whole life. How many of us can really promise that? I know, it is ridiculous to compare our lives to that of a dog's because they don't have to attend to school, college, work, family, social lives, and whatnot. No one expects us to be at someone's feet 24/7. But loyalty isn't just about that.

We talked about friends at IMPACT during our first CG lesson this year. Most of us are ashamed to admit that we can't even show the slightest amount of loyalty by not talking behind someone's back. We don't know how to be honest with someone because we are afraid to hurt their feelings. Or sometimes, we might be too honest that we hurt someone without even realising it. We don't admit our mistakes at times. We are afraid to make friends with someone because apparently they're 'not cool'. We show our temper. We show a sour face when people forget your birthday. There are just so many things that we tend to do that we can't call ourselves a good friend, a loyal friend. And yet, we still have a bunch of great friends around us.

Ever wonder how it would feel like to have someone like Hachiko? Waiting on you without worrying about other things, be it emotionally or physically? The only person I can think of is Jesus. He doesn't do things without a significant reason just to make us happy. God is not Bruce Almighty. He doesn't just click 'yes' to every single prayer just to please us. But when he does, His grace and mercy are proven. He is patient and he waits for us even when we forget Him at times. He died on the Cross to save us from the enemy. All we need to do is come to Him, welcoming Him into our lives every single day, every single moment. Not turning our backs on Him. Not choosing Facebook over your devotion. Not choosing your birthday party over church. Not choosing sleep over Sunday service.

So, let's change things right now and be a good friend to everyone. Your parents, siblings, church friends, school friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, colleagues. Make it up to someone if you're in the midst of a conflict. Confront someone if you have a problem with them and all you have been doing is talking behind their backs. Buy someone a drink. Surprise someone outside their college or school and give them a ride home. Who knows, one day your story may touch someone's life like Hachiko did.

P/S Took me a while to write this. Haven't been blogging like this for a looong time. Sorry if some things don't make sense!