Dear Reader:
From the moment I arrived last Thursday to be with the grandchildren… (the morning Poogie passed away)…the children were already talking about the Rainbow Bridge. When I asked Mollie about it…she said it was a metaphor for pets who had passed…a way to tell children that their beloved pet had to cross the Rainbow Bridge in order to be whole again.
When I researched the origin of it…there were several different versions but basically it all came down to creating a beautiful picture in children’s minds of this colorful bridge of many rainbow hues that their pet had to cross so he/she could be just like her old self again…able to run and play.
***The “Rainbow Bridge” refers to an other-worldly place consisting of a sunny, green meadow and multi-colored, prismatic bridge the pet eventually crosses that leads it to heaven.
The term is believed to have originated in several works of poetry from the 1980s and 1990s that were meant to help relieve deceased pet owners of the pain of their loss.
According to poems, upon death, the pet finds itself in a lush, green meadow filled with sunshine. The pet’s health is fully restored and it can run and play as it did in its prime with unlimited food and water.
There, the pet waits until its human companion dies and is reunited with them in the meadow. Together, they cross the Rainbow Bridge to heaven.
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My talented, imaginative and quick-witted friend, Dee Lesko, texted me a story Sunday afternoon (that I forwarded on to Walsh and Mollie) that would be a gift to me, Walsh and Mollie, and especially the children….a story about Poogie’s new life…and how she is being welcomed by their own dogs who crossed the Rainbow Bridge earlier.
Mollie texted me yesterday that the kids were so excited to hear about Poogie’s new adventures in pet heaven for their bedtime story Sunday evening. What a healing gift of love…the children all went to bed excited and dreaming about Poogie’s new capers and romps!
Here is an excerpt from her amazing story:
Our Chloe (Old English Sheepdog) most especially loved the beach and also the mountains; Amelia Island beaches and Asheville mountains were among her most favorite vacations to take with Mike and me.
I know Chloe will invite Poogie to join in on some challenging mountain trails to hike and delightful beaches on which to frolic. Both Poogie and Chloe plus Chelsea, Muffin, and Muffin II will need to take some precautions and extra care, however, because all of those girls are very susceptible to “bad hair days” made worse when chilling out at a beach!
Chloe said that she may even let Poogie borrow her ballerina footwear if Poogie shows an interest in trying out for the lead in “Swan Lake” this coming Fall . On THE day (9-11-18), Chloe danced across the Rainbow Bridge at age 13, she wanted to wear (and she did indeed do so) her footwear (doggie socks) that were designed to look like ballerina slippers!
From what I understand that “loan” regarding the ballerina slippers is contingent on Poogie teaching Chloe how to surf!
So until tomorrow…What a wonderful gift you have given the family Dee…it will be copied and put with Poogie’s memorabilia so the children will always have the story in their hearts. And your gift in honor of Poogie to less fortunate dogs is just more icing on the cake. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
It really was my favorite day…because so many favorite people stopped by to visit. I was able to add Poogie’s photo to the Prayer Tree…I ate a mountain tomato for lunch…and just let the juice run down me (Honey brought)-Susan and Ady visited and looked at my neighbor’s tin roof…Susan would love to have one over her deck…nothing sounds better during a thunderstorm…and we are definitely getting them more these days.
Isn’t Honey’s pocketbook adorable…a watering can? 🙂 It was so fun just to be around my friend again…the friend who opened my eyes to a new world in 2010…who helped me cross my Rainbow Bridge here, while still on earth, to a different life of listening, writing and sharing….Chapel of Hope Stories! Unforgettable gift from Honey in every way!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
What a beautiful and priceless gift…so a thoughtful thing to do. Our lab Carrie used to love to lie on the trampoline with Fred and look at the stars and KC aka Kitty Cat loved to tease us every night when we would call her to come in by not coming and when we gave up on her and started to let the garage door down then at the last minute she would make the garage door bounce up. The day we had to take her to Dr Grant because it was time when we got home we were both emotional…the boys were in college…and our garage door bounced back up…we knew it was a sign from KC that all was well. Thanks for sharing.
Don’t we all look for “signs” that our beloved pet is doing okay….Honey told me she had a dream about Harley, her pot-bellied pig, after he died…he was running in a field…slowly stopped staring at Honey directly in the eyes with a little “snout” smile and then ran on…everything was fine….stop worrying.