This nearly 68 year old man who has been ordained now for 43 years and a hospice chaplain for nearly 29 years and usually averages conducting 26 funerals every month, grieves. . cries. . .feels loss. . .has once-upon-a-time-don’t-know-how-I-can-go-on-kind-of-days; TRUTH! And some of the harshest losses I’ve ever grieved are some of our pets over the years. I never turn down an offer to do a pet funeral for not just children or young families, but lots of grieving seniors who find comfort in CELEBRATION OF LIFE services for their beloved pets. I like that my heart can be broken and never beat the same by some of the unconditional love my pets have shown me and how I’ve spilled my guts to them with things I’ve never told another human being.
So when I came across this story a couple of days ago, uhhhhh, yeah it took me back to a place where no pictures were necessary to do this sacred thing we call:
R E M E B E R I N G
Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letterbox at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page were the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.
Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I’m easy to find. I am wherever there is love.
Love, God
Don’t say you’re too busy to Share this. Just go ahead and do it
Suspended Coffees You will all be happy to know this wonderful story is 100% true, please don’t take offense to the reference of God, it’s part of the story.
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind, and the third is to be kind.”
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,
r i g h t. . .
So here’s the thing about Love. . .
It MATTERS enough that it doesn’t MATTER if it’s between Another person or yes, even a pet. . .
The Cost of Caring
is high
higher than any passing cloud
in any endless-looking sky
and yes, better still,
P R I C E L E S S
Psssssssssssssssssssssst:
Make
T H A T
investment
the
R O I
is out of this world
(literally)
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