Early morning at the Rainbow Bridge and Muldoone was already up and
about, he was on his way to greet another ferret who would be arriving
at the Bridge.  Mully as well as the other ferrets always felt the tugs
of pain in their hearts when a fuzzy came to the Bridge; on one paw
their struggle was over; old broken bodies traded in for younger healthy
ones, years of abuse and neglect undone in a moment, but it also meant
their time on earth was over, their march on the Creator's soil had come
to an end and here they would wait.
 
Arriving at the Bridge Muldoone found Nanna, SodaFerret, and the rest of
the welcoming crew.  "Mornin Nanna" Mully told his boss.
 
"Good morning Muldoone, so nice to see you could make it on time" Nanna
gently scolded him.
 
Flashing his boss one of his bestest smiles "But I bees here Nanna, I not
bees wate."
 
"Muldoone, the ferret that comes to us today, he was very old and not in
good health but he was very loved by his human and that is what he brings
in his heart to the Rainbow Bridge.  He was so lovingly cared for and
allowed to slip away, the final gift his human could give to him.  For
ferrets that lived in more than one home, it is not where we lived the
longest we consider to be "home " home is where we were the most loved
and best cared for.  Bones was not in his new home for very long but it
was where he was loved and cherished and Muldoone that is what counts,
that is what this ferret has tucked away deep in his heart" Nanna
explained to her junior Bridge greeter.
 
Running up at the last minute to join the gathering was EmmieLou ferret.
She was wearing a lovely new bonnet for the occasion and you could tell
she had spent considerable time on getting her fur brushed just right and
her whiskers just so-so.  "I hope I not bees too wate" she breathlessly
told the others, "I hears we has a new fewet to comes here dis mornin and
I wants to be here to says hi.  Pwease Mz Nanna, cans I stay and says
hello?" EmmieLou asked.
 
"Good morning EmmieLou" Nanna told her, "yes you may stay to greet the
newcomer but go easy with him, he might be scared and confused about all
that has happened to him."
 
"Let us form our circle , it is time" Nanna told the little ferret
gathering.
 
The lights over the Bridge began to dance and swirl; colors more
beautiful than ever seen on earth now painted the sky.  The colors
blended and then changed again; shades of pink gave way to peach and
yellows then changed to a soft green that blended into a delicate blue
that gave itself over to shades of lavender.  A fine soft fairy dusting
began to swirl all around Muldoone, Nanna, and the others.
 
Muldoone, Nanna, Bailey, Freckles, Dude, Libby, and EmmieLou all joined
paws forming a circle of love.  The group of ferrets closed their eyes
and concentrated on the ferret making his way to the Bridge.  In the
hearts of the group of ferrets, they were sending their love for Bones,
helping to light the way for the one to come but also they were sending
prayers of love for the human ferret mom who made the last months of
Bones' life happy.  At long last this old ferret knew what it is was to
be loved and cherished.
 
In the center of the circle stood SodaFerret, tall and handsome as he
began to sing the song of love to the ferret making his way to the
Bridge.  His voice was deep and rich, every note sang perfectly, every
word wrapped in love for the ferret who was coming.  The Ferret Promise
Song now filled the air with its bittersweet refrain.  The melody of love
told the story of hope and promise and also of sorrow and loss all tied
together in the cycle of life.  The song explained pain fading away, of
limbs being made strong again, and eyes once more bright, it told of the
sorrow of passing and the joy waiting in the Promise.  As Soda sang the
sad sweet song, he also sang a song of love for the human whose heart
had been broke by the passing of Bones.  Soda offered his love to the
human who was hurting; tears falling inside the broken heart.
 
The words of love reached the ferret letting him know it was okay to let
go and come to the Bridge.  The melody now filled the heart of Bones and
he no longer feared letting go.  Thoughts were centered on the human who
he cared for and would miss.  A whispered prayer was sent to the human
ferret mom Julie, "I loves you mommy but it be time for me to goes, I
pwomise to waits for you.  Tanks for loving me, tanks for showing me what
it be to be loved afore my time be over."
 
The flash of light subsided and Mully along with the rest of the group
could hear the unmistakable sound of ferrety feets making their way
across the time-worn planks of the Rainbow Bridge.
 
The newcomers crossed the Bridge cautiously, he seemed a bit confused and
was eying the group of ferrets standing at the other end of the Bridge.
Bones saw a large silver and white ferret wearing a bright yellow apron.
He also saw a very funny looking ferret wearing a baseball cap with the
wildest looking fur sticking out from under it going in all directions
and standing off a bit were a small group of ferrets, all with gentle
smiles on their furry little faces.
 
Just as Bones stepped off the end of the Rainbow Bridge, Muldoone stepped
out offering his nose to the newcomers in a friendly greeting.  "I be
Misser Muldoone, officialist Wainbow Bwidge Gweeter and wees all be here
to welcomes you.
 
"Hello Bones" Nanna told the new arrival, "my name is Nanna and I have
come to welcome you to the Rainbow Bridge" and gesturing to the small
group of ferrets, Nanna introduced each one to him.  "There is nothing
to be afraid of" Nanna told the new arrival, "your journey is at an end,
you are home."
 
For a long time Bones just stared at all the new sights before him.
Nanna and Muldoone were both wondering if he had heard and understood.
 
Finally both Bones turned to face Muldoone and Nanna.  "I not wants to
comes here but I guesses it be my time" Bones explained to them.  "I hads
a gud life whiff my hooman bean on earff and I be missin her."
 
"How do you feel?" Nanna asked him.
 
"I feels gud, I not hurts, I feels wike I feels when I bees a kit" Bones
explained.
 
"That is the gift of the Creator, when we arrive here, we are made young
again and our health has been restored" Nanna explained to Bones.
 
"What kinds of tings you wakes to do Bones?" Mully asked him.  "We gots
all kinds of fun stuff here, we gots da Otter Swede, Wesley-Mania, da
Fruit Bar, da Chicken Gravy Pond, 'Tone Steams, da Soc Steal Course, Dirt
Mountain and wets more" Muldoone chattered on and on.
 
Bones stood for a long time saying nothing, he had a tear to sneak out
and slide down his little furry cheek.  "Mz Nanna" he asked, is dere any
hoomans here dat would wikes to holds and pets a fuzzy wike me?"
 
Gently taking Bones in her arms Nanna began to explain to him "Bones
there are angels running around all over the place here and they like
nothing better than to sit and hold a wonderful little ferret just like
you.  When you are out and about, look at the trees we have growing
everywhere here and you will see a twinkle button on them close to the
ground.  Push that button with your nose or your paw, wait a moment or
two and a beautiful angel will come and sit and hold you for as long as
you would like."
 
"Weally Mz Nanna?" Bones asked.  "Dere be any angels dat wook and smells
wike my hooman mom?"
 
"Bones when you are being held by the angel, look at the picture you have
of your mom, the one you have tucked away in your heart, close your eyes
tight and think of your human mom, and it will be just like she is
holding you" Nanna told the new arrival.
 
"Dat would be the bestust" Bones exclaimed.  "I hads a gud mom and I
misses her."
 
Next to step forward and introduce himself was Soda.  "Hello Bones, my
name be SodaFewet.  Affer you settles in I shows you how to cwimb the
wings on da wainbow soos you can peeks in on your mom and den I teaches
you how to sneaks back for a visit wiff yur mom when she be sweeping,
you can gives her whiskery kisses and she tink she be dweamin but it be
weal, we dooes it all da time."
 
The new ferret Bones got a sad look on his face and a faraway look in his
eye as big tears slid down his furry little cheeks.  Deep into his heart
he looked searching for the picture he carried of the human who loved
and cared for him.  "Tanks for everyting Mom, and I comes to visit you
soonest as I cans."
 
~~Muldoone~~
Caring for your ferrets at the Rainbow Bridge.
http://mrmuldoone.bravehost.com/index.html
wike my hooman mom?"
 
"Bones when you are being held by the angel, look at the picture you have
of your mom, the one you have tucked away in your heart, close your eyes
tight and think of your human mom, and it will be just like she is
holding you" Nanna told the new arrival.
 
"Dat would be the bestust" Bones exclaimed.  "I hads a gud mom and I
misses her."
 
Next to step forward and introduce himself was Soda.  "Hello Bones, my
name be SodaFewet.  Affer you settles in I shows you how to cwimb the
wings on da wainbow soos you can peeks in on your mom and den I teaches
you how to sneaks back for a visit wiff yur mom when she be sweeping,
you can gives her whiskery kisses and she tink she be dweamin but it be
weal, we dooes it all da time."
 
The new ferret Bones got a sad look on his face and a faraway look in his
eye as big tears slid down his furry little cheeks.  Deep into his heart
he looked searching for the picture he carried of the human who loved
and cared for him.  "Tanks for everyting Mom, and I comes to visit you
soonest as I cans."
 
~~Muldoone~~
Caring for your ferrets at the Rainbow Bridge.
http://mrmuldoone.bravehost.com/index.html
[Posted in FML issue 5222]