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]