It was early morning at the Rainbow Bridge and Muldoone was up and about;
a new arrival by the name of Dubs was due to arrive.
 
The colors of the rainbow never failed to take Muldoone's breath away,
the colors were more beautiful than anything ever seen on earth.  The
Rainbow Bridge itself could be thought of as a magical place; when
ferrets arrived, they were instantly made young again, old, stiff, and
withered limbs were made young and supple again, no more aches and pains
from arthritis, bald ferrets suffering from adrenal disease were gifted
with beautiful new fur, the blind were able to see again and every ferret
was delivered to the Bridge by a special winged unicorn named MoonBeam
Molly.  God had created the Rainbow Bridge giving each beloved pet a
place to wait until that wonderful day would come when pet and owner
would be reunited.
 
Arriving at the Bridge and taking his place to await the arrival of the
newcomer, Muldoone marveled at how beautiful it was at the Bridge.  Each
and every day started with a more beautiful sunrise than the previous
day before and ended with a glorious sunset.  The skies were always a
brilliant blue; not too hot and not to cool.  It only rained if the
animals were in agreement for rain; there were some who rarely wanted
it to rain and others loved splashing in the heart-shaped puddles left
behind.  Every flower that could be imagined was at the Bridge; flowers
of every color and every scent which all seemed to blend harmoniously.
But even with all this beauty, the hearts belonging to the residents of
the Rainbow Bridge wanted only one thing, they wanted to be with that
person they loved so dearly while on earth.
 
The ferret that was due to arrive on that day was a little girl by the
name of Dubs and she without a doubt was very much loved and left behind
some aching hearts.
 
The first gentle caresses of the breeze could be felt and as fairy dust
began to glitter down from the heavens, Muldoone knew the time was at
hand for the arrival of Dubs.
 
The Ferret Promise Song filled the air with its bittersweet refrain.  It
sang of hope and promise, of sorrow and loss, all tied together in the
cycle of life.  It sang of pain fading away, of limbs being made strong
again, and eyes once more clear and bright, it told of the sorrow of
passing and the joy waiting in the promise.  The Creator gently held each
ferret in His thundering velvet right hand and whispered to their hearts
"I knew you before you were ever a ferret, I knew you while you were on
earth, and now you have returned to Me so rest now wee-one, you are home,
come and start your new journey that begins at the Bridge."
 
The flash of light subsided and then Mully heard the unmistakable sounds
of ferrety feets coming across the time-worn planks of the Rainbow
Bridge; the Moonbeam Molly Express having delivered another ferret whose
time on earth had been cut short.
 
Mully stepped forward to greet the new arrival.  "Welcome to the Rainbow
Bridge Dubs, I am Mr. Muldoone, officialist Bridge Greeter."  Muldoone
leaned forward offering his nose to the new arrival in a friendly
greeting.
 
The newcomer Dubs sat down on a nearby toadstool and drank in both the
sights and smells of her new surroundings.  Blinking her eyes several
times she then put her tiny velvet paws up to her eyes and then pulled
them away and looked all around herself again.  "I can see" she stated
excitedly "I can see!"
 
"Of course you can see" Muldoone informed the little girl ferret, "you
can see, all your old aches and pains are gone, and you are young again.
That is the gift from the Creator."
 
"What is that wonderful smell?" Dubs asked Muldoone "something smells so
good."
 
Laughing Muldoone told her "Well that could be one of many different
smells; it is maybe the bushes that grows the raisins, or the date
trees, or maybe even one the Ferretone streams."
 
"And just look at me" Dubs stated with much excitement "I have all my fur
back!"
 
"Yes, that is part of the gift from the Creator" Mully explained to her.
 
"Mr. Muldoone, I miss my family, I was very happy with them.  I am happy
that I can see again and I am happy to have all my fur back, but I would
give all that up to still be with my mom and dad."
 
Muldoone felt his heart tighten in his chest, it was hard for some
ferrets to find out they would not be returning to earth and back to
their families, somehow they thought when they arrived at the Bridge and
were restored in health and youth, they would be returning.  As gently
as he could Muldoone explained to Dubs that she would not be returning
to earth, instead she was now a resident of the Rainbow Bridge but the
day would come when she would be reunited with her family.
 
Muldoone spent considerable time with Dubs showing her around the and
helping her to get settled in.  Upon learning Hotspur, Doodle, and Fidget
were residents of the Rainbow Bridge, she was anxious to see them.  They
had not been all that good of ferret buddies back on earth, but Dubs was
certain they would have a lot of questions about how the family was doing
and she would happily tell them all the latest with the Matlick business.
 
As Dubs' first day as the newest Rainbow Bridge resident came to a
close, snuggled in a beautiful hammy she had picked out for herself,
she whispered her words of love to her family and promised to faithfully
wait until the day would come when they would be reunited.
 
~~Muldoone~~
Caring for your ferrets at the Rainbow Bridge.
[Posted in FML issue 5005]