Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how mu ch she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the p ost office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.
Love, God
If THAT doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you are dead inside. Sweet and righteous on several levels. Like teachers, post office employees often don't get the credit they deserve.....good job!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about this 5 or 6 years ago so went on the internet and had no problem finding the story.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Cary Clack of the San Antonio Express-News, the tale is real. In mid-August 2006, the San Antonio family of Greg and Joy Scrivener and their three children suffered the loss of Abbey, their 14-year-old black and white dog. Driven by concern for their pet's future welfare, 4-year-old Meredith, the Scriveners' middle child, dictated the note quoted above to her mother, then enclosed it and two photos of the family dog in an envelope addressed "To: God in Heaven." This envelope, bearing the family's return address, was dropped into a mailbox at the Brook Hollow post office.
My tears are flowing. Special blessings to that wonderful postal employee.
ReplyDeleteThen Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.
ReplyDeleteWow. What do you say to that? I think I'm gonna steal this and post it on FB.
I am so glad God still has a job at the post office. Thank you, Lord for being where you are needed and thank you for being Santa also! God is Good great, beer is good, and people are crazy, but we're all glad you're here!
ReplyDeleteHow great, thank you God and the Postal Worker for having a big heart.map
ReplyDeleteGreat Story! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteI was unable to read this without stopping several times.Amazing.
ReplyDeleteJust had to post this...
ReplyDeleteJust 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 vigor; 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.
They 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.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
I posted the above poem...I can't wait to meet my loved ones..including my furry loved ones on the other side...sniff....
ReplyDeleteBest post ever!
ReplyDeleteDarn it...there shouldn't be pollen and dust in Feb.
ReplyDeleteGeez this post just gets to me...miss you Sammy...even if it's been almost 20 years (he died on my birthday of all things). (you too midnight who passed when I was ten...not gonna tell you the year...) K..gotta go now...new tears even after all these years..
ReplyDeleteI cried reading the story and cried harder reading about the Rainbow Bridge.
ReplyDeleteGreat story. I have one that is not as touching but would still like to give credit to our mail lady in Hebron. My son is at that age (5 y/o) and fascinated by mail. He checks the mailbox everyday. Sometimes, he catches the mail lady and she hands the mail directly to him. He always looks to see what came for him. 100% of the time, its bills for us but he still has this idea that something special comes in the mail and maybe one day, he will get to open something. One night, he decided to draw a picture and put it in an envelope addressed to "The mail lady". Sure enough, he got a card back thanking him for the picture he made and she also gave him a little toy that belonged to her son when he was little. It made his day. He even took it to daycare to show his friends. It was so sweet of her to take the time to acknowledge him. Thank you Hebron mail lady!
ReplyDeleteAww 10:37 Its ashame we can't have his address to send him a card bet it would make his day with alot of mail.....
ReplyDelete7;43 that was where I saw it
ReplyDeleteThat made my day
ReplyDeleteWow! That made me cry!
ReplyDeletefor the idiots out there...
ReplyDelete#1 - this would be mixing God with the US Postal service. illegal.
#2 - the carrier opened the letter. God did not. that is tampering with the mail and an invasion of privacy. illegal.
#3 - he responded as God. identity theft. illegal.
im sure the ACLU will be all in this now.
as you can see. this would be how liberals and the ACLU would view this story instead of the heart-warming, inspiration it should be.