Chapter 9

College

You can never step in the same river twice. Life is always changing and flowing. This was never more obvious than when Josh and Dharma walked around his college campus. He had been gone for only five years, yet there were new buildings and construction everywhere. It was late October and the smell of the air let Dharma know that the seasons were about to change. For Josh, the air was also filled with the buzz and excitement of students enjoying the time of their lives. Together, they walked around to see the sights of all his favorite places. They walked to his freshman dorm and to his fraternity house. He showed her the various buildings where he had taken classes. “You never got to see these places before,” Josh told her, as he recalled his college girlfriend giving Dharma to him as a graduation present. It was their last day on campus. She’d handed the dog to him in a box and said her name was Dharma. When he opened the box, he saw the cutest thing in the world, and he knew he had a best friend for life. “It’s good to be back, isn’t it, girl?” he asked, and his temperature rose when he showed Dharma the place where he and his college girlfriend had kissed for the first time while watching the sunset. Each building and location told a story and brought back many great memories and feelings.

Josh was as happy as could be . . . until he and Dharma came to the area where he was planning to plant the seed. “Noooo!” he shouted.

It was painfully evident that a large new building had been built on the very spot where he had entertained his fellow students before class. His happy place had been covered with concrete and replaced by classrooms, lecture halls, and offices.

Dharma licked his hand to let him know she sympathized with his frustration. Yes, life is always changing. Yes, sometimes humans need to figure things out for themselves.

“What do I do now, girl?” he said rubbing her head. “Maybe there’s another place on campus where I’m supposed to plant the seed. Or maybe this is a sign that I’m not supposed to plant the seed at college.” He didn’t know what to think. He never thought there would be as good of an alternative. He had been happiest in college, so this had to be the place. “Now what?” he shouted as he looked at the building where he had taken his favorite class with his favorite professor. “Come on, let’s go see if he’s here.” His former professor was one of the wisest people he knew, and wisdom was something he desperately needed right now.