October 21,2018: Axel is our Pup of the Week and Harlee is our Kitty of the Week

Two friends arrived at their Forever (And Ever) homes at Rainbow Bridge this week.

Momma Cindi’s boy Axel crossed the Bridge on Thursday.  His old body was giving out, and his mom gave him the ultimate gifts: Youth, vitality, strength, speed and a sharp mind.  The gifts were a tradeoff. To get these things for Axel Momma Cindi had to give up one of her most precious treasures, more time with Axel.  She would never see her baby again.

Parents have trouble understanding when they let us go that they are doing an eternal kindness.  We return to being puppies or any other age we choose. We have thousands of dogs to play with while we wait for that glorious day when pup and parent are reunited. 
 For us, while we miss our parents and mortal family and friends, we know the answer is patience.

Our parents have to give us up.  What a terrible trade that is. We dogs get everything, and our parents have so much taken away.  While our wait to be reunited is equal in length, our parents assume all the hard parts of mortal life while we can lay in the sun all day and enjoy immortality.  They do find joy after we cross over, the resilience of the human spirit is amazing, they have fantastic highs, and they fight through horrible lows to soar again, maybe with a small amount of assistance from their angels, but, being spirits, we remain humble and take no credit.

Axel, as soon as he crossed, asked me to convey all of the above to his mom and to let Auntie Cindi know that her wishes became true because he is once again happy, healthy, running and playing.  He is also visiting when he can, in dreams that are only remembered in the heart, as a flying creature buzzing by, or something that flickers by in the corner of the eye.

Axel accompanied me as we crossed over Doggyspace into Kittyland to await Momma Diana’s kitty Harlee.  We stood to the side as she was greeted by her cat friends, and was taught all she needed to know. Everything that is true of dog angels is true of cats so Momma Diana should keep her eyes peeled for the same signs from Harley.

Harlee recognized Axel and me as fellow Internet surfers.  The more you travel through cyberspace the more dust you accumulate.  Axel and I were filthy with it. That night Harlee, Axel and I sat under a spreading chestnut tree, traded our stories, we laughed until dawn.

We told our stories slowly and with great detail, because we had until our parents arrived, and for us, that was an eternity.