[Steppes] A Passing in the Royal Pack of Ansteorra

[Gail]

although my tears join yours, at the parting with a friend.....for I have
lost friends, too.....there is no more pain...but only a waiting, until we
can join them.

Galen

----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Cuccurello" <pcuccurello at hotmail.com>
To: <ansteorra-announce at ansteorra.org>; <steppes at ansteorra.org>;
<blackoakkeep at yahoogroups.com>; <crown at ansteorra.org>;
<rosenfeld at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 9:22 PM
Subject: [Steppes] A Passing in the Royal Pack of Ansteorra


> It is with a leaden heart that I must report the passing of "Lucky Dog" of
> the Greymoor Pack and the Royal Pack of Ansteorra.  He passed quietly
today
> succumbing to bone cancer.  Mistress Elizabeth brought him home to Hounds'
> Rest to be buried with those others of the Royal Pack who have passed.  He
> waits for us now at the Rainbow Bridge with Belle and Streaker.
>
> The Rainbow Bridge
>
> A man was on his way to Heaven and stopped just before a great bridge,
> multicolored and iridescent in the sunlight it shone, lying just this side
> of the Great Gates of Heaven.  To the side he saw rolling green fields,
> creeks, and trees.  Playing and resting in those fields appeared to be
many
> family pets, small and large, and of every type he knew of.  There
appeared
> to be plenty of food and water available for them and the sun felt warm as
> they played and rested in the meadows.  He also noticed, off to one side
of
> the meadow, a group of greyhounds.  Where they looked content and in
> excellent condition, they did not run and play as the rest of the animals.
>
> Now off in the distance he could see another traveler upon the road,
making
> his way to the bridge.  As he crested a small hill on the road the
> greyhounds all lifted their heads and looked toward him, but then they put
> their heads back down on the grass.  At that same time-- a dog playing in
> another part of the meadow let out a bark and ran towards the man walking
on
> the path.  The man, looking surprised, knelt down to greet the dog as it
> covered the man's face with kisses and whimpers of joy.  After a short
time
> the man rose and continued down his path and over the bridge to the Gates,
> the dog running and jumping behind him.
>
> "Hello my friend, you are new on this path are you not?"
>
> The man turned to see a lovely woman sitting on the grass next to him.
She
> appeared quite young, yet there was something in her eyes which spoke of
> great age and wisdom.
>
> "Here, sit next to me for awhile and feel the Sun.  I will answer your
> questions before you continue on your journey".
>
> The man sat next to her upon the grass and asked about all the animals out
> in the field, and why they were there.  She looked over at the meadows
> saying:
>
> "This place is called the Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has
been
> especially close to someone, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are
> meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play
> together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are
> warm and comfortable."
>
> She turned to look back at him then, a small smile creeping onto her lips,
> and continued:
>
> "All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and
vigour;
> those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we
> remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are
happy
> and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very
> special, someone who was left behind."
>
> "They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops
> and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body
> begins to quiver. Suddenly, he breaks from the group, flying over the
green
> grass, faster and faster. They have spotted their  "special someone" and
> when they meet they cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted
> again. The happy kisses rain upon their friends face; those trusting eyes,
> so long gone from their life, but never absent from their heart. Then they
> cross the Rainbow Bridge together."
>
> As she finished, another traveler crested the small hill to the meadows.
> Instantly a "Roo" was heard amongst the playing animals and four
greyhounds
> burst from their ranks, running with blinding speed towards the man.  The
> other greyhounds that were resting separate from all the other animals
also
> rose to their feet as the man crested the hill.  Their heads seemed to all
> turn in unison to look at him as one and then,  leaped as gazelles into a
> full run toward him.  The man, facing the four greyhounds that had
> originally run towards him, turned to see the rest flying his direction.
> Dropping to one knee he opened his arms and welcomed all them to him,
> laughing and almost falling backwards from their enthusiasm.  Rising he
then
> walked toward the bridge, awash in a dancing sea of greyhounds.
>
> "I believe I understand " said the man, "but what about that last person?
I
> understand why those greyhounds came to him from the meadow, but what
about
> all those that were laying separate from everyone else and never seemed to
> play like the rest.  Why did they all run to him also?"
>
> The woman then let out a small melodious laugh, like the water of a small
> brook, or a light breeze across some wind chimes.
>
> "Well, that is indeed a special case.  Those greyhounds that were resting
> over to the side lived their entire lives as racing greyhounds at a track.
> They never got to know what it was to play, or have a family, or a
"special
> someone".  So when they come here they do not play like the other animals.
> They are happy and content, but they wait until that person comes who can
> show them the love that they missed in life."
>
> "I don't believe I understand" said the man, "I realize that he owned
> greyhounds, but that could not possibly be the only reason that they ran
to
> him."
>
> "No" she replied, "He was part of a greyhound rescue group.  In life he
> demonstrated his love for them by helping their brothers and sisters.
They
> know that now he is here, he will love them as he loved all those who were
> in his care.  For every rescuer that crosses the Rainbow Bridge, all those
> racing greyhounds waiting here enter Heaven."
>
> The man smiled then, remembering the joy of all those greyhounds sprinting
> across the field and the laughter of the man as they came to him.  He
> thanked the woman for the kindness she had shown him and set his way upon
> the path over the Bridge, feeling a twinge of sadness that in life he did
> not know the love that the last traveler had felt both in life, and
beyond.
>                                      --Original Author Unknown,
>                                                     rewritten 2002,
Patrick
> J. Cuccurello
>
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