Dear Carol,

I am very sorry for the lateness of this greeting, we have ALL bee
busy up here at The Bridge with new arrivals just about everyday. As
you know there are three Greeters and we all do our best to greet each
and every special fuzzit as fast and as efficiently as we can.

It was a misty morning when Hobbes came to my door. I had not one but
serveral greetings to see to that day so I worked as fast as I could to
get to them all and Missy, while being the last scroll I read, was the
most sweetest of them all. With a nickname of "The Duchess of Attitude"
how could she not be? One of the things I enjoy doing, when upon
receiving a new scroll, is to throughly read it and the reread it. They
usually come with a portrait of the fuzzit and details of their lives
and just how incredibly they were loved and cherished - and from what
I read Missy was very well loved and adored. The other thing that is
listed are those who of the family that are here at the Bridge and
usually where they can be found.

Some of us have jobs, like the greeters, but there are also angel
fuzzits as well. Ones of Comfort, Love, Joy, Hope and Guardians. These
very deserving souls who earn their wings and their angel status after
they have been properly trained. Some of us do other jobs, such as
Hobbes, and his other fellow couriers who bring the much needed scrolls
for our greetings, and then are those who look after the kits and take
care of new arrivals. I started as a caretaker of newly arrived kits
and one day I heard my calling and I became a Greeter and I really do
enjoy being able to be there for those in their time of need, both the
newly arrived fuzzit as well as the parents who loved that fuzzit. It's
not just a matter of meet and greet, but of meeting and showing support
and making sure that fuzzit finds his or her place here in heaven as
well as their brothers, sister, parents an other fuzzits and people
who touched their earthly lives.

Family reunions here are very grand indeed.

So I read Missy's scroll and then, as I always do. I began to look for
her family that was up here. Most times they find me, they somehow know
that someone from their earthly lives is ready to make the journey up
here and they will come looking for the greeter in charge of their
loved one, and in this case, when I walked out my front door I was
greeted - myself - by a dozen or more eagerly waiting fuzzits, all
with warm smiles upon their wonderfully, fuzzy little faces. A really
handsome champagne - cinnamon fellow with an extremely short tail,
walked up to me and introduced himself.

"Hi Mr. Pah, my name is Lancelot, Lance for short. I'm Missy's father,
and these here,", and he gestured to the others, "are her family, and
we would love very much to come along with you to greet our Duchess of
Attitude, that is if you do not mind."

This was followed by another introduction by a lovely blaze lady.

"Hello Mr. Pah, my name is Blaze, Queen Blaze, I have heard much about
you and like Missy's father, I too would like to come with you to be
there for my daughter", she said.

"I am glad to meet you both, but please, it's just Pie, or Pie O' Pah,
I was never a Mister in life and I think it to be a titled reserved
for stuffy hooman man.", I replied, and we all got a good laugh out of
that.

There were others there to, Junior, and Grey Girl... Shelia, Shy-Girl,
Me-Me and Tr were among the others. There were some small and giggly
kits there as well and kits can always make anyone's day as far as I
am concerned, but all in all, I saw one big and happy family looking
forward to adding another to their business.

Lance and Queen Blaze took each others paws and told everyone,
including me, that is was time to go and I agreed. The path to the
Bridge both the one we take to get to those arriving as well as the
path is taken by the fuzzit passing from his or her earthly live to
heaven, is always different for each of us. I think that aside from
being there to greet the new arrivals, it is the walk I enjoy most. As
I said every time it is different and I see new and exciting things,
or I run into old friends or I meet new. On this journey I had a very
chance encounter with a new friend, a kit named Laughter. Laughter
arrived here some months ago He simple went to sleep one night on earth
and woke the next day here. He never seemed phased by the change in
homes, but instead told me he had been ready to come here, because he
knew he was going to do wonderful things. Today, as he ran up to me
with a huge smile on his silver mitt face, he told me had come at the
request of Muldoone.

"He's got a new job know you know, something top secret, can't tell ya,
but it's really neat, and while I can't say anything, he did ask me to
deliver something to you for Missy.", He then handed me a wax sealed
letter, gave me a little salute and off he ran. I look carefully at the
letter. It was written on some really beautiful parchment and it had
her name written on it in spotless calligraphy. It warmed me to know
that despite Muldoone's job promotion, he still took the time to leave
a little something for a beloved soul.

And on we we went. It's slowly turning to spring up here and everything
is greening up, and buds are beginning to open and bloom into a full
array of grand and lovely colors. It was a wonderful day and there
was a nice cool breeze, carrying upon it the scent of jasmine and
evergreen. I smiled as I took a deep breath in and continued the walk
to the Bridge. As we went Lancelot and Queen Blaze told me all about
Missy and their mom and how much both were loved a great deal. They
were very happy to be going to see their daughter arrive, but sad that
their mom would be left on earth dealing with the loss. So they all
made promises to go to the "Viewing Pool" and check on you and send
you as much love and comfort as they could.

With all the wonderful storied beong told, we arrived at the Bridge
before we knew it and it was so beautiful. There were lush green
trumpet vines intertwined all over the Bridge and these beautiful blue
and violet flowers where everywhere. There were also dozens and dozens
of hummingbirds flitting about and humming a beautiful tune. As their
humming grew, the Bridge began to glow. It was a brilliant white light,
that touched upon everyone and everything and made the whole world up
here look bright, clear and crisp. And then, we could hear dainty small
steps crossing the Bridge and then there she was. Missy, The Duchess of
Attitude. I remember that the first thing she did was stop right before
she stepped into heaven and she held her hands over her mouth and in a
simple whisper she said.

"I can see, I can really see ...... Mom? Dad? Jounoir? is that really
all of you?", at that point she began to cry and she ran right into
their waiting arms. Everyone came around her and hugged her tightly and
told here everything was going to be just fine. But she was determined
and would not let go until she had made certain that she looked at and
touched everyone to be sure she was really seeing them. These moments
are always so special. I stand there and I quietly observe, and I feel
the love that comes flowing off each and every one of these reunions
and it fills me with a joy I could never fully put in words.

People thank me for greeting their loved ones, but really I should be
thanking them, because I am in the presence of the love of our Creator
and the love we have for one and another, a love we learned from those
who cared for us in our earthly lives and I always I am in awe of it.

After Missy was certain she was not dreaming, and she had been loved
and kissed and assured she was safe and fine, I gave to her the note
from Muldoone.

"For me? Really?." she said in her soft, sweet voice.

"Yes, all for you." I quietly replied.

And then she opened it and quietly read it to herself, and then she
read it to all of us.

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
 
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
 
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Welcome Home Missy

With Love,
Muldoone

So, as you can see, she has arrived, and more importantly, she is whole
and among loved ones and will be looked after very well by one and all.
She sends her love and wants you to know that her live was a good one,
and all because you were a large part of it. She said she is going to
be keeping an eye on you and the rest of family and looks forward to
the day when you are reunited with her and the rest of the fuzzits you
have here in heaven.

In Love and In Comfort,
Pie O' Pah

[Posted in FML 6643]