(sniff)
Was it today; yesterday; a week; a month ago?
There are no days; there are no nights since my furchild died.
I reach to pet my furry friend who is no longer here.
My heart is broken; my arms are empty; how many tears I've cried.
I leave the house, into the lane we always walked together.
The rain is falling. I notice not. Just more tears on my face.
She used to lead me down the lane. Her spirit leads me still.
But we go a different way to a very strange and different place.
I stand before a rustic bridge I've never seen before.
I stop. I know I'm not to cross. But why, I want to know.
And then the rain suddenly stops. I look up into the clouds.
I look down. The bridge is gone and in its place is a rainbow.
I look across the Rainbow Bridge and see a joyful sight;
Thousands of healthy furchildren playing with my beloved pet.
I want to run and love her, but I'm rooted to the spot.
She looks and wags her tail and I hear her bark, "Not yet."
And then her bark turns to a voice and I hear her say,
"You cared for me, you played with me and loved me to the end.
I'm healthy now, don't cry for me. I'll meet you here again.
Others need your love and care. I'm sending you a friend."
I rub my eyes and the rainbow is again a rustic bridge.
I send a prayer for that quick glimpse to the loving God above.
I hear a noise and glance back down. I can't believe my eyes.
Across the bridge, my darling pet sent a furbaby for me to love.
I pick up the furry bundle, hold her close to my dampened cheek.
She nuzzles my neck, kisses my tears. It's true love at first sight.
Not to replace the one who's gone; another who needs my love and care.
My eyes are drawn upward to see a Rainbow Bridge in radiating light.
Copyright, 1995 Jean L.Mowry-Everett
I'm glad you said it. It's been over ten years, and I still miss Sweets. She was my German Shepherd-Husky. She was 15 years old, her hips had gone out, she had cancer all through her, and every day was a struggle for her. I was in the Air Force, stationed in Las Vegas, and my parents called to tell me how bad off she was. I wrote her this huge letter about how I would miss her, and about how much fun we had had, and about how much I loved her. I asked my parents to have her put down, because it was hurting her more to stay alive. They called me a few days later to tell me that they had read it to her as they had her put to sleep. Lord, I loved that dog.