Most of the fuzzies who come to the Bridge have mostly lead a full life, but I am sad to say that we also get very young fuzzies who never really even get to start their lives in the Hoomin world. The Hoomin world can be a very hard world, indeed. This morning I was to greet a very young fuzzy named Toah Light Skyy. I would be doing this with a heavy heart. The Boss explained to me that Toah left the Hoomin world for the Bridge unexpectedly after suffering a terrible accident. She was only seven weeks old, and her hoomin mom, Debi, was just beginning to get to know her. It is so difficult for loving, hoomin moms to lose their fuzzy babies like this, and even though the Boss does his best, he's never able to completely comfort the pain that they feel in their hearts. Aye, only time can do that; only time and caring for the fuzzies in the Hoomin world who still need them. I took my heavy heart and headed for the Bridge. It was a beautiful morning, after all, and I had a job to do. One this little would need lots of help with getting settled in here. Having a heavy heart would not do. As I neared the Bridge, I pursed my lips and put my best smile on. Once I got there, however, it was a little easier to smile. Toah had wandered off the Bridge and found a nest of grass in which to take a nap. She was a beautiful little fuzzy, sable-colored with ruby red eyes. I could see her front left paw sticking out from underneath her head, and it had the cutest little white toe! I hated waking her, but I stroked the back of her neck and she let out a yawn. Slowly her eyes opened, and I could tell she was puzzled. Nobody in the Hoomin world would have thought at such a young age to tell Toah about the Bridge, so she had no idea where she was. Still yawning, Toah asked me who I was. I told her that my name was Sandee, and that she was in a very special place called the Bridge. She asked me if her mom was here. Aye, it is so difficult to give the answer of that question to a little one, but I did my best. I told Toah that her mom was not able to come with her to where she was right now, but that eventually a long time from now she would come to be with her always. She wanted to know how long that would be, and I had to tell her that I didn't know. She became very upset. She had not been without her hoomin mom and her other fuzzy moms for very long at all. Toah was so young that she was still nursing. She started to cry, and insisted on seeing them all right now. She was hungry, scared, and lonely, and nothing made sense to her. Nothing I told her seemed to calm her. I reached over to give her a hug, but she moved away from me and laid down in her patch of grass, continuing to cry. I must admit, this was very upsetting to me as well, and I was at a loss as to what to do next. But the Boss had been watching. He reached into the patch of grass, picked Toah up, and held her in his hands, stroking her head softly with his finger. In no time at all, she had stopped crying. I could hear the Boss talking to Toah, but it was muffled and I couldn't understand what he was saying. They talked for some time, and after a bit I thought I could hear Toah dooking and giggling. Finally, the Boss came out of the patch of grass. He carried Toah with him, still curled up in his hands and fast asleep. He winked at me, and told me that they would be back soon. I stayed at the Bridge. I felt bad that I had not been able to do my job. I hadn't been able to help Toah at all, it seemed. In fact, I had even made things worse. I felt a bit foolish and just a little bit sorry for myself. I sat down and started to groom my tail. Not long after I sat down, however, The Boss returned with Toah. No longer in his hands, she was flying over his shoulder with the tiniest, most gorgeous set of wings I had ever seen on a fuzzy! She was a beautiful little girl; aye, a little cutie I must say. As Toah flittered over the Boss' shoulder, I noticed a tiny little pacifier in her mouth. A smile came to my face as I took in the picture of this little sable angel with a pacifier in her mouth. How could I not smile? Still, I felt bad for not being able to do my job. The Boss took me aside. He explained to me that sometimes no matter how hard you try, you cannot fix things. Bad things happen, and sometimes no matter how hard you reason with yourself, there are just times that you cannot make things better. He told me that this was true for hoomin mommies, as well. Accidents happen in the Hoomin world, sometimes before any one can see them coming. It is just that way, sometimes. I nodded my head, understanding somewhat what the Boss was saying, but not completely. I guess he was right. Sometimes there is no understanding. All you can do is continue. I asked the Boss how he was able to soothe Toah. He smiled and explained to me that he had given her a very special pacifier which smelled and tasted like all of her hoomin and fuzzy mommies. Ah, so that was it! Sometimes, it's just that simple, isn't it? Toah flew over my head and hovered in front of me, wanting to play. She was just so cute! One couldn't help but smile watching her. We had a lot to do, and I had a lot to sho w her. Sandee [Posted in FML issue 5196]