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  Gretta Knows...... ...This Must Be Heaven!  
  January 15, 2015 Edition  
     Woof Woof! Happy New Year! Another day to look out over the meadow before me, the towering green grass silently sways, the gentle breeze strokes my fur causing me to instinctively put my nose into the air, taking a deep breath of the fresh clean air. The warm sun caresses my body, and a feeling of peace and contentment surround me. The meadow has a beauty all its own and is limitless with no end in sight. There are hills to climb. Creeks to play in. Dog pals and cats to meet. Another year ahead to search the vast open meadows for endless possibilities!
      I notice the Lab gang and a large group of my heavenly pals walking through the meadow. Sady, the guard dog of the Rainbow Bridge, has summoned everyone to come to the bridge. One of our sisters will soon be arriving to join us. I run down to join them.
      As we arrive, Sady is standing on the bridge. He explains that our sister Dehlia, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, is now making the journey from her earthly home to join us in her new heavenly home. Sady turns to me and says, “Hey, Gretta, I was told that Dehlia spent quite a bit of time in your hometown of Boardman.”
      Oooh, how exciting! I can’t wait to meet Dehlia and bark with her about my hometown, but I know in my doggy heart, how difficult this journey will be for her. It is so, so hard to leave the loving family she has known, and arrive in an unfamilar place. But time is kind and seems to grace us with an inner gift of healing.
      Sady turns to walk across the bridge to the other side, where Dehlia will arrive. All the heavenly dogs and cats sit quietly and wait in anticipation of Dehlia’s homecoming.
      We all stand as we see Dehlia arrive at the far end of the bridge.
      “Welcome to your new heavenly home Dehlia”, Sady quietly barks. “Everyone here has been anxiously waiting for you”. Dehlia glances around, looking as sad as a hound dog’s eye, and yelps, “I wish I could go back to my earth family. I loved them so, so much and they always treated me with such kindness and love. I long to just greet them one more time, to get one last love pat on the top of my head and to give them a doggy kiss. And to play with my pawsitively best dog pal, Sierra, who was always by my side. We’ll always be fur-ever friends”
      “You were gifted with such a beautiful earth family and the memories you made together over the years, will always be a part of you. Please take your time, to say your goodbyes. There is no hurry. When you are ready, I have a note here under my paw that arrived with your name on it. It is signed by Joy. So when you are ready I will share it with you.” Sady replies.
      Dehlia’s head rises, her ears perk up, and she barks, “Joy, a note from Joy! She was a great blessing in my life. We shared such a loving bond together. We were always there for each other. Twice a day, she had to have drops put into her eyes, and no matter what I was doing, I would stop and run over to be at her side. Our hearts will eternally be together. Please .... let me hear what she wrote.......”
      Sady held the note on the ground with his paw as he expressed Joy’s words......Dehlia, the unconditional love of a four-legged warrior will always remain embedded in my heart. But yet my soul and spirit have been torn asunder, and there is such a black void. I will cherish the fond memories, but oh, how I miss her warm embrace, her tenderness, and her unrelenting compassion for us all. I will always remember the bond we shared--her wild side and gentle side, her constant understanding, and also her playful antics. My heart is so heavy, but her warmth, strength and kindness will be with me forever. I will always love you, Dehlia, and I miss you dearly!!! Joy.
      Sady picked up the note with his mouth and walked over to Dehlia and tucked it under her collar. Dehlia stood tall and gave a contented sigh, “a part of Joy will be with me forever and I will always be with her.”
      Dehlia then walked over and stood next to Sady. She took one last glance behind her and began to walk across the bridge with Sady by her side.
      As Dehlia and Sady reached the other edge of the Rainbow Bridge, all the heavenly dogs and cats began howling and meowing, welcoming Dehlia to her new home.
      Dehlia was amazed and barked, “there are so many of my brothers and sisters here”. Sady barked, “you will never be alone here”.
      “Over here, this is Gretta, Dutch, Remington, Ruger, Rasta, Kachina and feline Lucky all from your hometown”, Sady added. “Hi paws to you, Dehlia, they yelped in unison!“ We have to lay under one of the big oak trees and bark about our Boardman adventures. But first come on, let us all show you your new heavenly home.”
      If you could see it here, the meadow has become blanketed with dogs and cats, running with Dehlia, to the top of the meadow hill. Suddenly everyone stops. Dehlia gazes all around, and howls, “What a beautiful place! Are we free to run anywhere we wish! The beauty goes on forever?” I barked, “Yes, you can run, play, swim, jump, roll over, sleep, whatever you wish. You have unlimited amounts of playtime, happiness, love, peace, and dog pals and cats everwhere you go!”
      “Well c’mon! Hey, do Rhodesian Ridgebacks like to swim”, barked Dutch of the Lab gang.
      “Yip, yip”, exclaimed Dehlia. Dehlia checked her collar to make sure Joy’s note was tucked away safely, and off she went following Dutch and the rest of the Lab gang. They stood at the top of the creek bed, and Dehlia barked.... “this must be heaven” and then they jumped into the creek, running and splashing, chasing each other and of course their tails were ‘awaggin.
 
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