RAINBOW BRIDGE
II
Unlike most days at the 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 know 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 a 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, 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 the rescue
just as you see him now, an older animal
with his fur graying and his eyes
clouding.
He never made it out of the
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 her 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 her 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."
~Author
Unknown~