Brandon Welcomes a Newcomer to the Rainbow Bridge
September 2, 2000


"Hi, my name's Brandon.  What's yours?"  Brandon wags his tail.

"Name?  Oh, name.  Uh, Penelope.  Yes, my name's Penelope."  She looks very unsure of herself.

"Hi, Penelope.  Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge."

Penelope's eyes grow wide.  "Rainbow Bridge?  Is that where I am?  I was so sick, my human was holding me, then I felt so warm and peaceful . . . . I'm a little dizzy, like I've been floating . . . . .  did you see . . . . wings? . . . . .  please tell me about this place."

"Sure," said Brandon, as he settles back to tell Penelope his story. "This is the Rainbow Bridge.  I've been here a whole year now.  It's the most beautiful, peaceful, and wonderful place I've ever seen.  The last thing I remember on earth was feeling very bad, my human was holding me close and telling me how much she loved me, then suddenly I felt so warm and light, like I was floating on a summer breeze, then, here I was!  Just like you!  I'm sure an angel brought me here because I remember the soft hands and saw the beautiful wings.  But I was too dreamy to sit up and look harder.  I just wanted to go on floating on that summer breeze.  When I did open my eyes, I saw this beautiful place, with the fields and flowers, the warm sunshine, the sparkling water, and many, many friends.  Then I heard the birds singing and realized I felt like a pup again, like I could run and play and chase butterflies all day.  I was so amazed!

"Then I remembered my human back on earth.  That made me sad and a friend who had come to welcome me said I needed to talk to God, so he took me to see Him.  God's wonderful!  I sat on His lap and His robe is so soft and warm.  He put his hand on my head and His love flowed all around me.  No one can be in His presence and be sad.  He smiled at me and talked to me and explained how He made the Rainbow Bridge so all animals would have a special place to stay when they leave the earth until their humans leave the earth, too.  Then they can go with their humans into Heaven for all eternity.  He told me about the wonderful thing my human had done for me to help me get to the Rainbow Bridge.  He said it was done with so much love, some from my human and some from Him.  He said all I had to do was be happy until my human comes to join me.  He didn't tell me how long that might be.  But he let me send her a special rainbow as a sign that I was here and everything was all right.  She understood right away.

"A while after that, I was sure my human was coming.  I was just sure!  I heard an awful crash and got a glimpse of a terrible scene, with twisted metal and broken glass.  I ran to ask God, but he said it wasn't the right time yet and she wasn't coming.  He said I could be her guardian angel though, for every second she was on earth.  He said she and I are part of His Plan."

"Am I part of His Plan?  Is my human?" asked Penelope anxiously.

"I'm sure you are," replied Brandon.  "Come on, you can talk to God about it."

And Brandon happily leads Penelope off to see God, the Man with all the right answers. 

On the way, he pauses to look down at earth, and smiles his special Bichon smile when he sees his human looking up at him.  He is content to wait.  He knows it will be worth it.

On the anniversary of Brandon's arrival at the Rainbow Bridge, September 2, 1999.
One year less to wait!

With much love, Jeanette.