In Memory of Pets

Dear friends,

About a year ago someone started a thread about the rainbow bridge and what our fur babies were doing. Many of us contributed and it was really a lot fun.

I will begin the story and please join in.

Stuart and a bunch of his ferret pals were playing near the bridge when Stuart shouted Hey you guys, do know that Christmas is coming soon. The other ferrets said yes thats right, we've got to do something special, but what. Stuart said lets go talk to some of the other animals and see if they have any ideas. They all ran over to the flower garden where Sammy, Bud, and Rockie were playing. Stuart said, do you guys know that Christmas is just around the corner? Sammy said why yes. Then Stuart asked, do you guys have anything special planed? They all looked at each other and said, no. Rockie said we should plan a big party for everyone but I don't know how to plan a party. Stuart and the ferrets said don't look at us we don't know how either. Bud said it would have to be a really big party because there are a lot of animals here and a lot that that we haven't met yet. Stuart said, boy we really have a dilemma on our hands. Who can we get to help us plan the party. Stuart said lets go and ask Candy, she's real smart. Then all of a sudden they heard someone coming. Who could it be?

_________________
Richard
Stuart's Dad

It was Lakota and her friends Baby.Clyde and Gemma, and everyone siad their hello's and introductions, and said maybe we should all get together and say a prayer for our Moms and Dads who were left behind to finish their jobs on Earth, Everyone Agreed but Clyde spoke up and said, We should really do something More, My Mom is so so Sad about losing me and we really need to do something so They don't hurt so much over their loss, Then they heard footsteps, someone else was coming! Who could it be?

It was Bandit and Teddy Bear. Bandit is happy to have his brother with him, but he knows how much they are both missed.

The two boys said their hello's to everyone, and asked what was going on. Stuart and Lakota explained to them what they were talking about. Bandit said that he thought it would be a great idea to try to let our moms and dads know that we are thinking of them by showing signs to them that they are watching over us. They all also thought that they should go and find a tree to put up, just like last year. Bandit said that it was a lot of fun. Of course, Teddy Bear didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about, so he asked what happened last year. While Bandit, Stuart, and the others told him about the great tree that they had last year, they heard some more foot prints approaching. It was.......

Hi Everyone, it is Bessie and Brie. We have been here for quite sometime and wanted to see what all the commotion
was about. How is everyone? What are we going to do this year for Christmas? We all have welcomed
a lot of new friends this year. Did you know that it is snowing? It is so pretty this time of year and we want to find a way that we can send our love back to all of our families to let them know that we miss them. We know that this is a very sad time of year. Our own ornaments and stockings are being hung and the loving memories are filling those special stockings. Bess and I did something special. As we were walking, we meet the most beautiful angel. We had a little chat and told her that we needed to find a way to let our families know that we are okay.

Well, she used her magical wings and created something very special for all of us to share... We hope that our families love our beautiful holiday tree.




It is filled with all kinds of love and sharing. See the red ornaments? That means "LOVE". The holly is for sharing our hearts to others. The special candles will shine in the sky at night and twinkle for each beloved one.

All of a sudden through all of this excitment from Stuart, Lakota, Rockie, Storm and Snoopy, Bandit, Teddy Bear, Hilton Elvis, Sammy, Jacko. Candy, Princess and Abby and all the others came running! Something was coming. I wonder who that can be?

_________________
A loved one is not gone until they are forgotten and to live in the hearts of those
left behind is to live forever.

Here comes Sylvester and his sister Butterscotch wondering what all the commotion and all the excitement are all about. After the hellos and introductions they think it is agreat idea what Stuart and ferret buddies started. They alsoo think a prayer for family left behind and sign that they are ok are great too. There is some more footsteps. Who else is coming?

Felix the Somali Cat says he is having a blast with all his buddies and adores that beautiful tree!

Mary

_________________
Mary Quinn

Stuart said hey you guys, we have to get organized here. We need to assign some tasks and get started. First of all, the idea of a prayer for our parents is a great one. I think that at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve we should all pray for our parents so they don’t worry about us, but first let’s say a prayer for John Mingo for creating such a wonderful web site. Next, all the mice, rats, and bunnies can spread the word to all the other animals about our Christmas party. The birds, especially the robins and budgies can search for the biggest, best, tree. The horses can pull the tree over here near the garden and the bigger animals can set it up. The dogs and cats can search for decorations, and the gerbils and Ginny pigs can help the mice, rats, and bunnies.

Then Stuart said, I guess that should do it for now.

All of a sudden there was a voice from behind the crowd shouting, Hey Stuart, what are you and the other ferrets going to be doing? Stuart said, Well…a…. We…a… I think…a. Who said that?

_________________
Richard
Stuart's Dad

"I'm here", said Abby. "Is it Christmas yet? Is Santa here"? As Abby was playing with all her new friends, she looked down & saw how sad her mom was with out her, she wanted so much for her to be here. But not this time so Abby went back to the tree & saw that it was so beautiful. She introduced her new friend jonathan Cat to every one.

Stuart suddenly turned around and said "Hey Sammy! What are you doing over there digging in the snow?"

Sammy said, "Come over here guys, there is something here, under this snow... it's glowing brightly.... it's warm..... ohhhh and it is so, so soft!!"

As he dug, he called out...."Hey everyone.... help me dig!" and all about the animals ran and flew to join him in his digging....

All of a sudden, everyone became so happy.... they all started to leap about upon the spot... calling out excitedly to each other as they sent the snow flying.... they ran, they galloped and pawed about! They rolled and dug about, some chirruped, some flapped, some yapped and barked, some purred, some whinnied and some even sang.

Each and everyone of them ran about until they found a perfect spot of their very own, soon they were all digging, one thing was for sure - they were all having such fun!

Suddenly each one, in their turn, tugged out a special little Christmas ornament..... as they looked at the objects with wonder, someone whispered " but how did they know?' others said, "how did they know that I would dig in that exact spot?"

Each ornament, was so very special, a present sent by their loving moms and dads and brothers and sisters still on earth.... and each had their very own special name enscribed upon it...

Each ornamental charm had been delivered bursting full of the special love that the furbabies and featherbabies knew on earth...... as they sat there looking at and touching their special ornaments with wonder... the little ones smiled to themselves.... they nuzzled their present and thought about the ones who had sent it to them....

Shaking himself, as if out of a little dream, Sammy beamed and said "Well, these MUST be placed upon the tree!' as he leapt up. He very gentley collected the little golden heart ornament his mommy had sent him in his teeth, and with the most joyous and youthful series of leaps he landed upon a branch of the Christmas Tree and placed his heart charm lovingly on a twig....

"Everytime I look at that, I know my Mummy loves me and is holding me in her heart!' he smiled, squeezed his eyes tight and purred with satisfaction!

The he looked out at all the other wonderful friends around him....he called out "Hey, ohhhhh! Your ornament is so very beautiful too! .... what have you there?"

And who replied?

Felix the Somali cat replied how he loves all his new friends at the bridge and how all the parents on earth send their love and he sees his own ornament that his momma and papa had for him during his 10 yrs on earth--he sees momma and papa have Felix II and Rainbow and he is happy for his momma and papa and wants them to know his spirit is alive!

Mary

_________________
Mary Quinn

Sammy looked at Felix and said "Oh Felix, everyone here loves you too! You know.....Apart from our parents loving arms, this is the next best place to be!"

Everyone nodded and agreed....

Here everyone can hear and feel the love they received on earth, everyone felt young and healthy again... this was indeed a very special place....

At that moment, another little one stood up with his ornament, holding it up for all to see....it was Giggles, Sammy's little sister.... she jingled it - it was a bright silver bell, and it tinkled with all of the love and music from her parents... she pirrupped and ran up into the branches of the tree next to Sam, placing the bell next to his golden heart.... she batted it gently with her paw and made it ring again..."don't you just love the sound and the feel of all that love Mum & Dad packed into that little bell?' she delightledly asked Sam just before she plonked a huge rubbing kiss on the side of his face....."Pththhtttsth, Yes I do Gigi!" he laughed as her whiskers tickled his nose..."Yes I do!"

Just then he saw another little one hold up their special tree ornament to show everyone....

"My, how stunning that one is....." purred Sammy, "It simply glows with love....do you want to climb up here and place it on the tree too?!" he asked....

And do you know who it was that answered?.........

Lakota looked at Sammy, tilting her head off to the side and said If you would please hang my lovely sled and dog ornament for me "cause everybody knows dogs can't climb tree's, everyone giggled and was so happy with the very beautiful tree. then Lakota's eyes teared up and said I see my mom has a new fur baby to love and I hope this little girl will love mom as well as I did, I hope my mom knows that this IS the next best place to be than with our moms and dads, We have such a menagarie of fur babies up here as we wait patiently for our loved one to finish their work on earth,then someone cleared their throat and said you're a little long winded today aren't you Kota, smiling Lakota looked up to see?

It was Clyde with a tear in his eye, said My mom is so sad right now. She has two more furbabies that love her but she still misses me so much. The angel dog ornament I found makes me happy. I want to do something to make her happy. And then Clyde looked around to see who was behind him..........

It was Stuart, who put a comforting paw upon dear Clydes shoulder, " we all miss our parents Clyde' he said with a brave smile, "I miss my best friend so much too, but Richard is so needed and does such wonderful things, well I can be patient..." his smile suddenly got brighter and their was a glint of mischief in his expression as he continued "besides, I keep sending him some rescue tasks - and well, other things to keep him busy and entertained"

All the creatures nodded as they knew that Stuart had a lot to be proud of - his dad was a bit of a legend up here at the bridge.

Just then Candy gently nudged Stuart, the other listened expectantly as Candy was a girl of few words, but everyting she said was so full of wisdom and love that those words were too special to ever miss...

Candy looked over beyond the tree, and there was a group of little animals that hadn't yet begun to dig, she asked all her friends to come over to them and ecourage them to dig and find an ornament of their own....

One of the pups, looking a little sad, said... 'there was no-one on earth for me... there will be no ornament...' suddenly a tear dropped from his cheek to the snow...

Candy pawed at the snow where the tear fell... she said

"dig little one - have faith!" each furbaby helped one of the former strays and abandoned ones to dig too...

Tremor helped a kitty - and the kitten leapt in surprise, Stuart helped a couple of fellow ferrets they sprung about as they revealed their surprises too, Princess helped a rabbit.... Clyde snuffled in the snow to help a horse... and on and on our furbabies helped their friends to discover an ornament all of their very own....

Questions like - "but who did this for me?" and "how did this get here for me...?" were murmed all around....

Candy spoke, and they all listened "my dad started a site where love could be expressed openly, a place of trust and pure beauty, our mums and dad's, our friends and brothers and sisters have created a place of caring, this place and all the rescuers care, they all wanted to save us, make us well. They hate ignorance and want to stop cruelty and - well, they are wise enough to know that everyone here deserves respect and love... because of them - and people like them - there is enough love & more for everyone one of us here, plenty of love to go around......."

All the animals sighed... many knew and agreed, they knew that their special people had so much love to give... so much love that they deserved too.....

All were grateful, and each in their turn began to place their little ornaments on that tree....high and low......

They all helped each other - there was so much excitement - there they were - all comforted and all feeling a love that came from each other, and that warm glow of the love of their special people left on earth....

It was indeed a wonderous time....

There were many voices chirping about - then someone said........

Bandit and Teddy Bear, after helping some of the little pups and kitties,said that they felt that it was time that everyone, including the new babies, should go to our Lord and tell Him that they are so glad to be given the opportunity to know the true meaning of unconditional love.

While they were all walking, flying, and hopping to find Him, they came across......