The decision had been made. Bear (right) and Peanut were about to be put to sleep. The day was Pi Day. Irrational, to the end. Everything about what was happening did not make any sense.
But the vet decided that for one to be put to sleep would have left the other alone, with no way of coping, and Peanut’s Cushing’s had advanced beyond the place where he could be comforted. We had also discovered that Bear had advanced cancer.
And, as my wife and mother were sitting in the exam room while they were being put to sleep, my wife registered something she had not considered before.
She felt a portal between heaven and earth open in the vet office, and two angels step through the portal into the exam room, and, not a rainbow bridge, but the Man at the Center of the Rainbow Himself, step through, and the spirits of these two very good boys leap from their bodies, and walk toward the One Who Had First Ushered Them Into Existence.
He is the Rainbow, the Door, the Gate, and The Bridge.
And the Presence of the L-rd had come…
For the purposes of escorting two of his beloveds into Father’s presence.
And I know a lot of this does not make sense because I am using what could be construed as anthropomorphic language.
But when you are married to someone who is so strongly connected to animals, the rest of the arguments about animals and eternity makes little sense.
He is the G-d who is surrounded by Oxen, and Eagles, and Lions, and Men.
And of those favorite, the Ox, or bull, representing the Teacher, Dr. Luke, that chews the cud and plows the field with broad shoulders, embraces beyond the metaphor to the quite literal statement found in Job.
“Ask the animals, and they will teach you.”
Quite literally, if you ask the animals, and connect with their unfallen spirits, they will speak and instruct you in the ways of the Creator of the Universe.
Quite literally, the Lion Roars as we step “further up and further in”. And the veil between Narnia and our world is gossamer thin. As close as the alveoli are to the erythrocytes, and as the O2 passes across that membrane, so also we were made to transition across that membrane, beyond the veil.
By the Mane of Aslan, gang.
This is one of the most irrationally rational things we could consider.
Love dogs, boy do I love dogs. Great story.
Thank you so much for this beautiful post!
Our beloved dog Snickers passed away last year, and I have been thinking about writing a children’s story regarding Snickers. Part of it would be showing his emotions and helping children to get in touch with their emotions.
But for the very last chapter I wanted to mention some post death experiences to help children process their loss and grief, and to bring in a dimension where their pets are now.
A day after my Snickers died I had a dream that he was in the backyard and as I went out to get close to him, before I could pet him I woke up. I felt like he was coming to say goodbye and to let me know he was OK . Another dear friend saw Jesus in heaven with her parrot on his shoulder, as is if He was keeping her bird safe until she arrived in heaven. Another friend heard her dog’s voice in her ear. This one I love! A friends cat had died and the vets were taking the body to the car. Her dog followed the vets, and then he stopped, and it was like he was watching the cat ascend up into heaven, his just kept looking up and up into the sky. Which she said he has never done before, or since.
So I am intentionally looking for stories like this for my book. Would you give me permission to put this in my book? If so I would be happy to post your name in the credits, if that something you would like.
Yes. Please credit me, but you may use it freely ma’am.
What is your name?
David MacNelley
But you can use my pen-name, The Paraclete’s Hammer.
A few years ago one of our cats had kittens. One kitten failed to thrive and only lived 9 days. He passed away looking more like 3 or 4 days old. During his short life I connected with him (hard not to when something that tiny curls up in the palm of your hand and purrs!) He died in the evening, shortly before two of our children went to bed (the third was already asleep). As I walked past the body I had a weird sense that the kitten’s spirit was still hovering around the body. I prayed with one of our 9yo twins before he went to sleep, and more for his sake than anything else I committed the kitten into God’s hands. Instantly I had a picture of angels carrying the kitten’s spirit off to where it was meant to go. When I went downstairs again there was no presence hanging round the body any more. I believe we will see that little fella again! 🙂
Thanks so much!! God bless you!
Wow, that registered deeply. I totally believe it. Beautiful, thank you for sharing it.