The rainbow bridge
   Date :06-Jan-2023

rainbow 
 
 
 
IT WAS June 21st. I shall remember this date and the year throughout my life. The International Yoga day was celebrated throughout the world on this date. My family including me were praying to God. “O God, please save him, he has become so fragile.” This was for our little giant who was not keeping well. I was not ready to accept that he will be with us for only few days. Few hours or minutes. God save the timid soul. What a selfless love they shower on us; I could feel his helplessness as he was unable to move and stand. His intense gaze following us everywhere we went (earlier, he was the first one to receive anyone amongst us with bright eyes and wagging tail).
My whole family was with him during his difficult times. We made it a point to sit turn by turn with him , talking to him, making him feel wanted and I still remember how my eyes were wet throughout whenever it was my turn to be with him. He would love listening to me with a very distant gaze sometimes trying to wag his tail with extreme
difficulty.
And then I remembered reading somewhere about “Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigour.
Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
Going down memory lane, I saw him as a little puppy running everywhere, cuddling us, showering kisses on our face, standing with his face on my lap asking me to shower my love by caressing him. Old age and suffering are inevitable. It is so painful to say goodbye to our loved ones specially when they are totally dependant on us for their daily needs. He was with us for a week or so after 21st and in the evening when we all returned home and sat with him together, our little giant in his signature pose (on ground between his forelimbs) gazed turn by turn at us and closed his eyes permanently as if he was waiting for all of us to be with him. What a graceful way to say goodbye!
I knew he will be very happy with his special friends. They will all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
And then you cross rainbow bridge together....