[August 7, 2023] I read this story years ago and saved it on my computer desktop. Somehow the article got shuffled around and lost in my many files. Happily, I found it. I think you will agree the story about a man and his dog will touch your heart. The author of this spiritual story is unknown. Please let me know if you know the author, and I will credit him here. Here is the story.
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of the long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at the desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”
“This is Heaven, sir,” the man answered.
“Wow! Would you happen to have some water?” the man asked.
“Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.”The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
“Can my friend,” gesturing toward his dog, “come in too?” the traveler asked.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.”
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
“Excuse me!” he called to the reader. “Do you have any water?”
“Yeah, sure. There’s a pump over there.” The man pointed to a place that couldn’t be seen from outside the gate. “Come on in.”
“How about my friend here?” the traveler gestured to the dog.
“There should be a bowl by the pump.”
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself. Then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
“What do you call this place?” the traveler asked.
“This is Heaven,” was the answer.
“Well, that’s confusing,” the traveler said. “The man down the road said that was Heaven too.”
“Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s Hell.”
“Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?”
“No. I can see how you might think so, but we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who’ll leave their best friends behind.”
What does this story tell us? For those who love dogs, it tells us about the close social link between humans and animals (specifically dogs). It also says that humans and dogs inherently value loyalty, affection, happiness, and perhaps even a biological need for companionship. There is both a psychological and biological connection that is simply undeniable.
The next time someone says that a dog is a man’s best friend, you will know the reasons this is a true statement.
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Please read my books:
Indeed, a great story. I’d not heard it before but it makes me feel that what I’m doing to be good to those around me actually pays off. I will say that I have gotten a lot of encouragement from one of Gen. Satterfield’s books. His one that came out last year “55 Rules for a Good Life” is truly inspiring and chaulked full of great advice. Ignore it at your peril. Read the book. I recommend that you buy extra copies and give them away to young teenagers, those that you admire for who they are and what they will become.
Jeff, great comment and I like your recommendation to give these books away to those kids you think will do well in the future.
“55 Rules for a Good Life” 2022
“Our Longest Year in Iraq” 2021
This is a wonderful story and for reasons I cannot completely articulate but I do love it.
Gen. Satterfield, this post is a little out of the ordinary but I love the story. I’d not heard it before but after reading it here, I printed it out and put it on my refrigerator door for my wife and kids to read. I’m sure my dog would be happy to know that we are all love her too.
Great job my friend. Life lessons are loyalty and friendship.
Eddie, my friend, yes. This is a story that I’ve loved for a long long time.
Hmmmmm
“No. I can see how you might think so, but we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who’ll leave their best friends behind.”
Great story!
MORE than a great story, it is inspiring and says alot in very little words. Tells a story that is hard to forget. I love it too.
What does this story tell us? For those who love dogs, it tells us about the close social link between humans and animals (specifically dogs). It also says that humans and dogs inherently value loyalty, affection, happiness, and perhaps even a biological need for companionship. There is both a psychological and biological connection that is simply undeniable. — Gen. Doug Satterfield is giving us something important to think on. Think about this and learn about humans and why we are here on earth and why we are the only animal that searches for meaning in their live.
“A man and his dog,” as it should be. Be loyal. Be connected. Be affectionate. Be happy but only with your good dog.
We do not know a thing about what heaven is like because we are mere humans and therefore we are very limited. But this man and his dog story does say something nonetheless that the relationship of humans to animals is also a spiritual one and a story that can be read about in the Bible. From donkeys to snakes to lambs to others, we share this Earth with animals and I think we need to ‘respect’ them by not doing evil to them. Gen. Satterfield, I’m new to your blog and just ordered “55 Rules for a Good Life” and hope to read it soon. Stay strong. Please continue giving us these kind of stories, those that enlighten our day and make things seem better ……. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Welcome aboard Pastor John. Make yourself at home here.
Yes, welcome Pastor John. Read the leadership forum notes and learn even more.🙏
Got that right, Nick. I must add that if anyone is new to this personal blog by Gen. Doug Satterfield, then you are in the right place to learn about yourself and others. if you are a leader, you will learn how to apply what you learn but, IMHO, you will learn best how to think the way successful leaders think.
😊😊😊😊😊
YES, big welcome for Pastor John.
Great job, Gen. Satterfield for highlighting this old story. I wish I knew who wrote it. Keep up the great work you are doing.
Yes, truly wonderful and spiritual at that.
Yes, as Gen. Satterfield is known to be.
As long-time readers of this personal blog, I am always surprised, entertained, educated, and enlightened to what is and what may be. That is my personal journey that begins here each morning as I drink my first cup of coffee and open my computer to read Gen. Satterfield’s blog. If you are new to this blog, then get a copy of any of his two books. My favorite is “55 Rules for a Good Life.” 😊
I love this story.