Dear Susan and Katy,

I am very touched by your kind words .... have to admit it made me
blush ... and it looks very apparent on me being an albino and all.

I spent the last few days with Pebbles and Hershel because I so enjoyed
the stories they had to share. They were telling all about your shelter
and how they never felt like it was a shelter, but that it was their
home. To them you were their "forever" home and the treatment they got
was always filled with joy, kindness, patience and unconditional love.

It was twilight and the three of us were sitting on the hill outside of
the kit training ground. They were finishing the last class of fliers.
It is so cute to see these tiny little baby's learning how to use their
new wings. It's much like the Keystone Cops, The Three Stooges and the
Flying Wendella's all at once.

I could see Hobbes in the distance, but I already knew, because of
Pebbles and Hershel, that Frye was on his way. When we have a loved one
that is preparing to leave his/her earthly life behind. We can feel it.
It's much like when one feels when it is chilly or warm outside, only
different is in the sense that we feel it on the inside. We can hear
them calling, and by this I mean we hear them their spirit preparing
itself to take the journey to The Bridge. That is why often times when
I am assigned a greeting, I will find loved ones waiting outside my
door, or when I go to find them, they always ask what took me so long
to get there. If only I had a connection like they did, it would
certainly make it far easier to do a greeting, but the truth is, I
don't mind it one bit. It is the part of the journey of being a Bridge
Greeter, looking for loved ones, learning about the fuzzit I am going
to greet and I enjoy every minute of it.

Hobbes arrived, courier sack slung over his strong shoulder, and he
handed me Frye's scroll. I thanked him and then I unrolled the scroll
so all three of us could read it. I saw his picture and I immediately
thought of my brother Tisha. He's a DEW too, and he always seems to
show up for greetings where DEW's are the arrivals, so it was no
surprise that as Hobbes walked away, Tisha came walking up, which lead
me to ask.

"How is it you know when it's a dark-eyed white coming along?"

"The DEW Network my dear brother, look into it sometime, you might
even find a date or someone to garden with", He replied.

I blushed and asked him if he was coming along or not, and then got up
and began making my way to the Bridge with Pebbles and Hershel closely
behind me - giggling. My brothers, but mostly my sisters tease me that
I haven't found a proper girl friend yet and are ALWAYS trying to set
me up. I can't help it if I'm shy and I like gardening!

As we made our way to the Bridge, we enjoyed a most spectacular sunset.
I call them The Big Guys paintings, and each night we are treated to a
new work of art. Tonight's was really beautiful, all pinks and blues,
and deep purples coming in from the east. We could even see the
beginning of the stars just at the edge of the horizon. I could also
hear the beginnings of cricket music and they were playing a lovely
song, something peaceful to guide us on our way.

I know that each trip I take to the Bridge is a journey in itself,
because it is tailor made for the fuzzit arriving. The idea being
that it is something that will be most agreeable for that fuzzit, and
something that will also put them at ease. To me, there is nothing like
seeing the faces of the ones you love best waiting there for you. So I
knew Frye would be very happy to see Pebbles and Hershel.

By the time we got there, the sunset was nearly at its end and the
coming night was gently and slowly rolling in. The moon, full and
lovely, seemed to be waiting to, because as it came over the horizon,
it lit up the whole field that we waited in and then a beam of light
flowed gently down from the moon and washed over the Bridge. The
crickets were still singing and then, almost as if he was a falling
star, Frye was there. He had this glow about him, nearly like the
sunset we had enjoyed on the walk here and he looked so peaceful and
serene as he walked over the Bridge to our side.

Pebbles reached him first, and I could hear her crying and telling him
how sorry she was that they had left without him, and Frye replying
that it was alright, because he was here now, they were complete.

Hershel told Frye he was sorry as well, but he somehow knew Frye would
be coming, and he was ready and waiting for them to all be together
again.

You need to picture them, standing there, arms about shoulders, huddled
in a family hug... standing there crying, and laughing - reminiscing,
sharing, loving and most of all just happy to be together again. There
was also talk about the both of you, and they told me just as I said at
the beginning of this greeting, they did not live at a shelter, they
lived in a forever home, in the hands and hearts of those who loved
them best.

Thank you Susan and Katy for all the love and patience and the millions
of other things you do to make Arkansas Ferret Rescue/Hospice for
Special Needs a safe haven for fuzzits who really need you!

In Love & In Comfort,
Pie O' Pah

[Posted in FML 6670]