Just a week ago, I returned from Pakistan and Myanmar. Believe me when I tell you that it was my best trip overseas that I have ever had. This single trip transformed me more than any other journey in fifty years of traveling abroad.

However, there was one thing that troubled me…profoundly. If I was going overseas for a month, what was I going to do with Ginger, my three year old Irish Setter. On my second trip to Myanmar, Ginger went to a kennel for the time period. However, since then, Ginger has had some medical issues that have been stabilized but not cured. Putting her in a kennel would have exacerbated her medical problems. Additionally, Ginger wants and needs 24/7 attention.

Fortunately, I found Kayla, who is a college student. She lived in my home and spent her winter break from classes watching over and caring for Ginger. Even before leaving on my trip, Kayla and her family came to my place for dinner. Ginger was in 7th heaven with all the attention that she commanded. In addition, Kayla visited several times with my pooh dog. Ginger found her significant other. Ginger loves Kayla. If I mentioned Kayla’s name, Ginger would go to the front door and wait.

On Ginger’s third birthday, Kayla was invited for her third birthday party. There was something about the relationship between them. I mentioned that to Kayla, and her response was that she had had a dog, which she loved before the dog died. I could identify with her feelings. When I came back from graduate school in Scotland, I got my first job, and the next thing that I got was my first Irish Setter. Correct, her name was also Ginger. That dog was a major part of my family for over a dozen years. When my first Ginger died, it was one of the worst days of my life. So, I understood some of the bonding between Kayla and Ginger.

After Kayla’s last visit before going to Pakistan and Myanmar, I was cleaning up the house and noticed red marks on the refrigerator. It looked like someone had drawn red lines on the doors of the refrigerator. It was then that I noticed similar marks all over the house. I took a paper towel, put some water on the towel, and cleaned up all the marks all over the house. It was blood from her tail due to her beating it against the walls and the appliances in the kitchen. Ginger was so excited about having Kayla around that she wagged her tail so much that the end of her tail actually bled.

However, that is the backstory. This essay is essentially about the incarnation of Bo Bo Gyi. Bo Bo Gyi is a venerated nat or local spirit in Burmese Buddhism. He had many interests. For example, Bo Bo Gyi was alchemist. Alchemist is a Greek word, χυμεία, which means a person who can transform things into other forms like making gold from base metals.

Bo Bo Gyi

Beyond the alchemy talents, he was interested in helping children and people in need. Actually, Bo Bo Gyi’s name in Myanmar means great grandfather. Bo Bo Gyi is a mentor of mine. I wish to emulate his drive to help others. The world would be a much better place if more people followed his example of caring.

That being said, last month while visiting my family in Myanmar, we were visiting Inle Lake, which is close to their home. It was then that I realized that Kayla was the most recent incarnation of Bo Bo Gyi. I purchased a puppet that looked like him. The seller said that she wanted to protect the puppet and wrapped it in handmade lotus paper.

When I got back home to the States, the first person that I called was Kayla and told her that I had a special gift for her. A couple days later, Kayla and Nathan, her boyfriend, came for pizza and had bananas Bo Bo Gyi for dessert. This is a picture of Kayla and her mentor.

However, Ginger soon noticed that Kayla was interested in the Bo Bo Gyi puppet.

Kayla and Nathan attempted to deter Ginger from chewing the puppet. They assured her that they loved her more than the puppet.

Ginger was relieved that she was still loved.