Messages


Once upon a time there was a loving family, with a Mom and a Dad, and two beautiful children.  Chancey was the daughter, and Digby was the son.

Every day was full of joy, and Mom and Dad delighted in every little thing that Chancey and Digby did.  Chancey had arrived first, bringing her own special sweetness and energy.  She brightened everything around her and made hearts sing. 

Chancey

But Mom and Dad knew that Chancey longed for a brother so they brought Digby home.

Digby

Their wonderful family was complete.  Chancey and Digby filled the home with their presence. Chancey’s job was to supervise all household activities, particularly in the kitchen.  She would stay close to Mom and Dad when they were cooking and let them know when she approved the wonderful aromas.  She adored the activity of the kitchen and never missed an opportunity to be a part of it.

Digby loved to be wherever Chancey was.  He especially loved to curl up in their beds in the office.  And he checked all the special places in their yard every day, letting Chancey know if anything had changed.

They both took their job of door monitors quite seriously, always in place to greet Mom and Dad when they came home.  Oh, the joy of seeing those beloved faces!

But the best time of all was nighttime, when Mom and Dad would go to bed and the children would get to spend the whole night wrapped in the cocoon of their love.  Chancey always curled up on their pillows with her own little bolster pillow and blanket.  Digby kept everybody warm at night by stretching out between Mom and Dad.

Chancey and Digby

The days and years passed, full of family doings and comings and goings.  Everyone loved everyone, and life was perfect for these sweet children.  Mom and Dad knew they had been blessed beyond the telling of it.

But life is a journey, and we don’t all travel it at the same pace.  Chancey and Digby grew older, and their bodies began to prepare for the next step on their path.  Mom and Dad gazed at them with sadness in their eyes, for they knew that their precious children would go on without them, and they could not bear to think of life without these dear souls.

When the time came, though, Mom and Dad reached deep into their hearts to give their children the ultimate gift of love, and they let their babies move on gently and peacefully. 

Chancey and Digby arrived at their new home, and they were amazed at everything they saw.  They looked at one another and saw that they were young and healthy again, with sparkling eyes and agile bodies.  They saw green grass and blue skies and the most incredible golden light, and everywhere were other babies, full of joy and contentment.

At first they weren’t sure where Mom and Dad were, but then they met a little girl named Dear Cully who explained things to them.  She told them they were at Rainbow Bridge and that they would wait here for Mom and Dad.  She said they could send messages to their beloved parents, and she reminded them that love never dies. 

Chancey, always musing and pondering upon things, told Digby, “I think I understand.  We are still a family because we still love each other.  But I bet it’s easier for us than it is for Mom and Dad, because we know all about the Bridge, and they don’t.”

And Digby gazed at his sister with respect, for he knew she had the right of it. 

One day, not too long after they arrived at the bridge, Digby had a great thought, to send a rainbow to Mom and Dad.  He described it to Chancey, “It should be a big rainbow so that they don’t miss it, and I think it should go over the cherry orchard because they’ll be looking at all of the cherry blossoms.”

Chancey loved the idea, and she was so proud of Digby for thinking of it.  Very politely (because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings) she asked what he would think about sending a double rainbow, one for each of them.  Of course Digby was delighted with his little sister’s contribution and couldn’t resist a quick little dance of joy.

So that’s what they did.  They waited for the perfect moment, when the clouds parted enough to let their light through, and they sent a beautiful double rainbow.  They knew Mom and Dad saw it because they felt the leap of joy in those beloved hearts.  Sitting back and grinning at one another, they felt the bond of love which stretched across their lives.

It’s very hard for those left behind, however, and Mom and Dad continued to struggle with the absence of their children in their daily lives.  Everywhere they looked, they saw reminders of their dear babies, and their pain seemed endless.  Indeed, their grief and loss were so great that they didn’t recognize many of the messages coming their way from their children.  When a family is separated, hearts throb with such pain that much is unheard and unseen.  Such was the state of Mom and Dad.  Although Chancey and Digby sent their love and walked the hallways daily with their parents, they could tell that neither Mom nor Dad was able to strongly feel their presence.

The good children knew they had to try to reach out in a special way, and this time it was Chancey who came up with the idea.  “Let’s send Mom a dream, one that shows us traveling here, so that she’ll know we arrived safely.  That will ease her heart, don’t you think, brother?”

Digby smiled his great doggy grin and gave his sister a sloppy kiss.  “That’s brilliant, Chancey!  I wish I’d thought of it!”

They watched until Mom was asleep and then they sent their dream.  But Mom’s pain was wrapped around her heart very tightly, and her fear kept her from seeing the true dream.  Instead, she awoke in tears, believing that her babies had been swept away by a phantom horseman.  Try as she might to rid herself of that terrible image, she could not, and so she missed the warmth and beauty of the loving message from her children.  In despair, she wrote about her terrible dream and shared it with other grieving parents, who tried to reassure and comfort her.

“Well, Digby, I really thought that would work,” sighed Chancey.  “I’m  sorry it turned out this way.”

Digby sighed, too, from the bottom of his heart.  Together they gazed at the perfect land around them and wondered how they could help Mom and Dad.

As they sat there, Miss Hazel Buttercup happened by.  Now Miss Hazel was – how shall we say – a little bit on the grouchy side, when she was on earth.  But once she arrived at Rainbow Bridge, she left all that grumpiness behind and took on a new role.  She was a very old soul, you see, and she tried to share her wisdom when she saw the need.

She asked Chancey and Digby why they seemed so perplexed.  After they explained and she had the way of it, she sat with them and thought how she could help.

“I think,” said Miss Hazel, “that your Mom and Dad need a gradual awakening.  You have given them marvelous messages, but they aren’t ready to understand them fully.  Many furparents have this problem.

“Here’s what you do.  You know how Mom visits her Petloss family?”

Chancey and Digby nodded their dear little heads, eyes bright with pride in their Mom.

“Well,” Miss Hazel purred, “every message Mom writes to her Petloss family will be a message from you, too.  You will guide her thoughts and her words.  You will help her express her pain as well as her love.  Your family will shine through these messages, and your love will comfort and heal everyone who reads her words.”

The furbabies looked at one another in agreement, and the golden light brightened, blessing them with its peace.  Politely, for they were very good babies, they thanked Miss Hazel for her advice.

They set to work at once with this new task, radiating their love and their strength earthward.

Thus it came about that Mom poured out her joy and her longing, and every word carried the light of Chancey and Digby.  Mom talked with Dad and wrote more messages.  Members of the Petloss family read the messages, felt the bond of love that united this family, and glimpsed the truth of Rainbow Bridge.  When Mom wrote, “May our loved ones be taken in HIS arms and held safely and lovingly forever,” all knew a moment of comfort.  Over and over again did her messages bring healing.

Chancey and Digby knew that Mom did not yet understand what was happening with her messages.  But these special children did, and so they continued to send their love through her messages, and they waited patiently.  Some day, some time, Mom and Dad would come for them.  But in the meantime, they lent Mom their strength, and her messages were their messages.

They played in the golden sunshine and slept under the glorious stars.  They walked with angels and they walked with Mom and Dad.  Always, they looked forward with certainty and perfect happiness, while the golden light shone clearly all about them.

For – as all Bridge babies know – we are always together, always united by the love we share….  And that is the most important message of all.

Chancey and Digby in the Rainbow

Photos used with gracious permission of Don and Helen Sloan

Messages ©2007 Barbara E. Allen