Two years before we moved to Minnesota, we visited a family who had a litter of golden retriever pups. Our children were nearing their teenage years, my wife, Linda, and I both had stressful jobs, and we were looking for an addition to our family who would bring more unconditional love into our home.

All of the puppies were so cute that we couldn’t decide which one to choose. Linda playfully told the group of puppies, “One of you is going to have

to choose us as we are unable to decide who should come with us.” Without hesitation, one of the pups came to me and untied my shoestrings. So we asked the pup if she wanted to go home with us. She responded by following us, leaving her littermates behind. We asked this puppy what she wanted to be called. Immediately, the unusual name Prana came to Linda’s mind. Later we looked up the meaning of this word and found that its definition was “breath of life.” And that is what this little puppy became for our family. She taught us all how to relax, love, and breathe in the fullness of life.

A few years after Prana adopted us, we moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Part of my job there was keeping a beautiful temple open after regular office hours for visitors and

social events. The building was situated in the middle of a rolling prairie. I’d

take Prana to work with me each evening. With all her heart, she loved this place and seemed to sense its sacredness. — Beliefnet.com