Poems and Stories
Not an Angel
The young kit and the older ferret lay on shaded sweet grass
watching the
Reunions. Sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes a whole family
Would approach the Rainbow Bridge, be greeted by their loving pets and
Cross the bridge together.
The young kit playfully nipped at the older one. "look! Something
Wonderful is happening! " The older ferret stood up and squealed,
"Quickly… get over to the path!"
"But that’s not my owner" whined the kit, but he did as he was told.
Thousands of the pets surged forward as a figure in white walked on the path toward
the bridge. After the glowing figure passed each animal, that
Animal bowed it’s head in love and respect. The figure finally approached
The bridge and was met by a menagerie of joyous animals. Together , they
All walked over the bridge and disappeared.
The young kit was still in awe. "Was that an angel? "he whispered. "No, Son," the
older ferret replied . "That was more than an angel . That was a person who
worked rescue. "
Reprinted with permission from
Jennifer Henderson
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The Bridge
Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold
and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals
had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the
animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and
started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch.
It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung
low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for while, knew what
his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.
He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no
sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this
animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again.
As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals
watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the
happier he would be. But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the
appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass.
Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge.
With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards
the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly
and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly
staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them,
watching the pathway and waiting.
One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what
he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to
explain it to him.
"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just
as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never
made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he
left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to
escort him across The Bridge."
The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So
what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly
parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and
among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were
all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.
"Watch, and see.", said the second animal. A second group of
animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each
bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly
restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The
Bridge together.
"What happened?"
"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those
who found new homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive.
Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are
allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals
that they couldn't place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge."