Wildlife ...

 Andrew found himself leaning against the rock on which he often sat, remembering Max, and some of their earlier adventures.  He closed his eyes, as if to dream, and it all came back to him as if it was only yesterday ...

                        As the baby raccoon tumbled head over paws with the bunnies, Mouse grew more and more pensive. “I must go and talk with Andrew. Maybe he’ll explain it better” she thought. “Now if I just knew where to go to …”

 

            “Looking for me?” asked the angel.

 

            “How did you know?  Oh never mind. I’ll never understand.”

 

            Andrew chuckled as he scooped up the befuddled cat. 

 

            “Those of you who were companions and pets are waiting for your people to be reunited with you. But it isn’t so with wild creatures. Like you, their lives are short compared to those of man, and often their passing makes possible the lives of others to continue.  Come, we will go and watch awhile, maybe you’ll understand better then.”

 

            “See, there by the side of the road … “

 

            “Oh no … it’s one of the baby foxes. Mama will be so sad …”

 

            “… and over there, a squirrel lies still” Andrew gestured to the cat. 

 

            “But remember. The Creator knows when even a sparrow falls. He has provided for all those to whom He breathed life.  See, even now their spirits are being met by others of my kind.”

 

            “But where will they go? Do they go to our meadow?” 

 

            Andrew smiled and answered “Our Father’s house has many rooms.”

 

            “Huh? House? Rooms?”  

 

            Andrew pocketed the squirrel, and tucked the baby fox under his other arm …. 

            … and set them down by his favorite rock under the big tree.  As they awakened and stretched, the squirrel scampered up the tree, and the little fox looked with eyes full of questions at Andrew and the cat.  A lovely doe and her twin fawns came close, and accepted an apple from Andrew.  The fox’s eyes grew wide!

 

            The doe lowered her face to greet the baby fox.  “Welcome!”  she said.

 

            That did it. “But …” 

 

            “You see, your lives are woven together.  When the doe was killed by a motorist, your mother took her twin fawns back to your den, to feed you. Her life was not wasted, nor were the lives of her babies. Do you remember the quilts your Mama made?  How all the little pieces that were left over from other projects were fit together, to make yet another quilt?  All of you are bits and pieces of God’s “quilt”.”

 

            “Here there is no hunger or thirst,” he continued.  “All of you are loved and welcomed.  You may run and play and know that you are safe from harm, that every one of you is special to the One who made you.” 

 

            With that, one of the little fawns touched the baby fox with her nose. “Tag, you’re it!” and she bounded away. Soon the three of them were romping in the soft grass, with total abandon.  

 

            The doe accepted another tidbit from Andrew. 

 

            “Will all these go through the big Gate with Mama?” Mouse asked. 

 

            “They already can, because there are angels who came to meet them. Do you remember the Book your Mama read to you at Christmas time?”

 

            “Oh yes! But she read it all the time. Sometimes she read some of it to me, but I didn’t always understand it all.”

 

            “Sometimes your Mama didn’t either! Do you remember her saying “The lion shall lie down with the lamb?”

 

            “Yes! I always wondered about that part. Lions eat lambs.”

 

            “But not here. Here is where all things are in harmony with each other. It is as God promised.”

 

            By now the squirrel, curious himself, had perched himself on Andrew’s shoulder. From the angel’s pocket came a few choice acorns, which the squirrel accepted politely. 

 

            “Come, Max will be worried about you by now …”

                               

            

            … Mouse found herself watching the raccoon and the bunnies again.  

 

            “You seemed a million miles away.  You okay?” asked the cat.

 

            “I just had the strangest conversation with Andrew, who isn’t here, but he was, and I went with him, but I don’t know where we were, and there was a baby fox and a squirrel, and a mama deer and her babies and it was all so …”

 

         Max chuckled.  “Been there, done that” he said.  “Sometimes it’s all a bit much to sort out, but trust me, everything is as it should be.”  

 

            “Does Mama know about all this?” she asked.  

 

            “Um hmm, she does. It’s called “Faith” and Mama has it,” he answered. 

 

            As Andrew watched from afar, he again marveled at the understanding and commitment God’s creatures had, so much more simplified than Man. They didn’t get all bound up in theories and doctrines, they didn’t question the will of God. They simply accepted.

 

            All was well …

 

 

 

      © Rose Scott      

 

            

            

 

Rudy ...

 “Mama,” asked Puff. “You’re using the writey box but you have water combing out of your eyes. What’s wrong?”

“One of my loves has gone to the Bridge.  That’s where all God’s creatures eventually go.  Now close your eyes, and go to sleep ... maybe you’ll be able to see in your dreams ...”

Misty called to Peanut, and the two of them set off to find Andrew.  But as usually was the case, Andrew knew they needed him before they did, and the two found themselves at the Angel’s feet.

“I will never get used to that” Misty grumbled.  

Scooping her up he settled the cat on his lap, and found a tidbit in his pockets for Peanut.  He loved that pudgy dachshund, she had such a neat personality, and more than once he thought despite Peanut’s oddball explanations for things, that Peanut knew more than he did.

“What’s bothering you two?” Andrew already knew, but also knew they had to grapple with things on their own.

“Mama was reading the writey box, and Puff saw water come out of her eyes, and then Mama put him to bed, and told him to dream, and he did, and we saw an opossum named Rudy was coming here, but we didn’t know at first, and we don’t know where to look for him or what to do next”  tumbled out of Peanuts mouth, between bites of her treat.  

“He wasn’t a pet, he was a wildlife ambassador.  He had been injured, badly, but kind people nursed him back to health and for a few years he lived with these people and helped educate children and adults on what it is to be an opossum. But as with all of God’s creatures, his time on earth came to an end, and he has returned to be with his Creator.  He’s right over there, where all of you woke up, beside Crystal Creek.  He’s been sleeping in a lovely patch of clover, but he’s about to wake up.”

Misty thought about the angel’s words for a minute and then asked, “Can we go get him? Will he be afraid of us?”

“Of course you may.”

Misty and Peanut headed for the creek, and sure enough, found Rudy just waking up.  First he washed his paws, then he scrubbed his face, and groomed his fur.  Thirsty, he ambled over to the creek to drink his fill. He wasn’t particularly scared, but he did wonder where he was. 

“Um, Rudy?” Said Peanut. “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you ...”

Rudy turned to see a cat and a dog looking at him.  The cat looked kind of weird, as her ears were folded forward, but both animals seemed harmless enough.

“Who are YOU, and where am I?” He asked.

“You were hurt, but people saved you, and you were an ambassador and then you were done with your tasks on earth, and you died, and you came here, and we’ll take you to Andrew and he’ll explain all the rest.” 

As usual, Peanut’s words all ran together,  Misty sighed, “Come, we’ll take you to him, he’s just over there ...”

The odd trio made their way to Andrew, who was sitting on the big rock, waiting for them. With Misty on one side, and Peanut on the other, Rudy looked up at Andrew.  “What’s an angel?”

Andrew chuckled, and pulled some fresh veggies from one of his pockets.

“I gotta find out how he does that ...”  Peanut was always up for a nibble, attested to by her plumpness.  

Andrew reached for Rudy, and settled him on his lap much as he had done with Misty earlier.  “I’m sure you’ve had an explanation of today’s events.”

Rudy looked up at Andrew. “Well, sort of ... am I meeting a group of children to tell them all about opossums?”

“No, Dear One, you are not.  You’ve done a wonderful job of that for quite some time, but your time on earth came to an end. You were no longer healthy and were in pain, so the people who care for you sent you here.

Soon we will take you to meet others of your kind.  You will never be cold, or hungry, or unwell again. Your Creator made a place for you when you finished your duties..”  Andrew stroked the opossum’s fur, and scratched right at the best spot.

Rudy looked sad. “Will I ever see them again?

“Yes, of course you will. Your creator knows when even a sparrow falls.”

Misty thought to herself she’d heard that phrase many times.  She added it to things she wanted to talk to Andrew about. And at just that moment, he smiled at her as if he had read her mind.

“Come, it’s time to meet the others.” Andrew rose, holding Rudy, with the cat and dog at his feet, and vanished. 

“So all you have to do is accept all that was promised and jump off the bridge.” Misty and Peanut did just that, while Andrew held Rudy.

Rudy could barely believe what he was seeing!  Opossums, raccoons, deer, squirrels, foxes, all looking up at him. To the side where Peanut and Misty went, there were dogs, cats, parakeets...  As far as he could see  everything was just beautiful!  

Rudy looked up at Andrew. “All right, little man, it’s time. They’re waiting for you!” And with that, sat him down on the bridge.  And with a deep breath ... he jumped!

As the animals gathered around the newcomer, Misty and Peanut moved away.  Miss Pepper joined them. Of their little group, she had become the “matriarch” so to speak.  

“I think you need to tell Mama Rudy is here and he is safe ... “ she said.  

Misty and Peanut went to the edge of the meadow, closed their eyes and sent their love and thoughts across time and space to Mama.  

“It’s okay, Rudy is here.  We greeted him, and Andrew explained, and he’s with the others ....and Mama, we love you.  We’re waiting for you to be with us some day....”

.... and in the darkened house where two dogs and a cat were all on the bed near the woman, she smiled through her tears.  She heard them.

As Andrew faded from sight he again marveled at how critters, wild or otherwise, seem to accept things with simplicity  of thought.  Man has made a mess of his world.  The animals, in their innocence wee so much wiser.  He sighed ...

© Rose Scott