It had become part of my daily routine to visit my friend Copper every morning. Sitting on a hill overlooking Rainbow Bridge, he waited for his brother Chipper to cross over.
But, he didn’t.
Chipper was due to cross over at the age of 15 two years ago, but he didn’t. He was due to cross over at 16, but he didn’t. Now, at 17, he is overdue.
“Is he going to be in trouble because he didn’t cross over?” a nervous Chipper asked.
I assured him Copper wasn’t. “We all have ignored the dark angels when they come for us,” I assured him. “It’s just that Copper has done it for years.”
The Dark Angels are not as ominous as they sound. They gently persuade dogs to cross over the Bridge when their assigned number of heartbeats expires, but they also have jobs to do, and as time passes they redouble their efforts until the most determined dog crosses over.
And there was no more determined dog than Chipper. He had seen what losing Copper had done to his Mom and he was determined to never cause her that much pain.
But that is the burden of true, unconditional, everlasting love: Someone leaves, and someone suffers heartbreak, Usually, with humans and pets, it is the pet who goes first, and after years of stubbornly hanging on to the mortal side for nearly two decades the fight overwhelmed Chipper and he finally slipped away.
It was a bittersweet moment when Copper’s vigilance paid off and Chipper appeared crossing the Bridge. Cooper ran down the hill to greet his brother, and they collapsed into each other’s arms and sobbed for all they had just gained and lost.
Chipper will always be remembered by the lucky ones who knew him or shared his life online where nothing ever dies.
And where Chipper will live forever.
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