Things are quiet at the Rainbow bridge today. The winds gently whistle through the trees and the Moss swings back and forth. It's so quiet that you can hear the brook as it slowly makes it's way past the green grass. You can see dogs laying around scratching their ears, not for fleas but out of boredom because they want to be bored. Off in the distance you can hear the faint barking of dogs as they run through the agility course. Again why because they want to. You see that's how things are done at the Rainbow Bridge, they are as they want to be.

Off laying alone without any dog around him lays Hank. Hank is a little puppy that was born to a stray out in the wilds. Hank never learned to trust anyone not even his brothers or sisters as they fought for what little food they could get. During his time on earth Hank found what he could to eat, sometimes fighting off Vultures just to get a taste of whatever it was that had died. Somedays on earth Hank wondered when he would get his next drink of water an then be lucky enough to come across a stream, yes Hank had reason not to trust. One day Hank was crossing the road when he was hit by an car, he was hurt and badly hurt. The person that hit Hank picked him up and even with the agonizing pain Hank found the strength to show his dislike for the human with the showing of his teeth. Hank was taken to this place, he didn't know it but it was an animal hospital. Hank laid there quite confused by the goings on, why did these humans care, where were they when he was healthy. As it was things would not go good for Hank and as he closed his eyes to make his trip to the Land of Light he seen tears coming from the eyes of the humans that hit him and of the ones trying to save him, what did this all mean he wondered.

Now when Hank made it to the Land of Light his name was not called because there would be nobody to look for his shining star, he did not make any entry's in the Book of Light or the Book of Red because he didn't know of any humans other than his last few hours on earth.
Hank never fit in with the other animals at the Rainbow Bridge because he was always a loner. Even Angel Sarah the sweet goddess of all the animals could not break through to him. So alone he lay day after day until one day.

It was one of the Days of Reunion. What is that you ask, well it is the day when human and dog reunite once again and it happens one time a week. The horn blows and dogs heads perk up, eyes dart, tails fly. Off they go to check the list of arrivals and to see if a loved one is coming. Well this time Hank thought he'd go just to see what was so important and off he ambled. Passed by many who were running past him Hank finally made it to the Reunion Station. Dogs were all lined up to look at the list and you would hear an occasional howl of delight as one dog would jump up in the air and twist their bodies around in delight. Now those that didn't see a familiar name was also delighted because it meant that their loved one was still living on earth, so you see there were no losers.

Hank now had seen all the commotion and still couldn't understand it so he just laid down and took a nap. Hank must have slept for quite a while because he was awaken by a touch and when he woke up things were quiet and no other dogs were around, Then he felt that touch again, soft like a child.
As he turned around it was a child and she started to touch him again.

What are you, she asked
I'm a dog stupid, ain't you never seen a dog before?
No, I wasn't allowed to have pets but I heard about dogs before.
Well that's what I am, now go away and find what you came to find
I don't know why I was sent here, she told Hank, I never had any friends before. I've never known love either. You see me now as a healthy child but you see on earth I couldn't walk, I couldn't talk and as a baby I was sent away by my parents because they didn't want me. They said that having a child with Cerebral Palsy was to much of a burden.

The child's story kind of touched Hanks heart as hers was much like his and a little tear came to his eye and he knew then why the humans had wet eyes for him. It was not for pity or for sadness it was for love of something that didn't know what love was. My little friend you shall not pass alone.

Angel Sarah looked down as Hank and the little girl walked off into the sunset together and thought to herself "just as it ought to be and just as I knew it would be". It was this time that Hanks name was called at the Land of Light and his star will shine tonight. Go out and look for it.
 

To some this may be a story but to me it's a dream, where all the unwanted find someone that cares

Author: John Perkins
perkinsj@vvm.com