Miss Miai

The sun shone brightly, leaving soft shadows near the trees.  The little creek babbled across the stones in its path.  In an especially lush patch of clover a sleepy kitty yawned, stretched, and purred.  She sat up, and began washing her face and paws, unaware of the gathering on a huge rock by an even bigger willow tree.  Ablutions finished, the sound of the water reminded her she was thirsty. Padding softly to the creek on velvet paws, she lowered her nose to drink.  ‘My, how delicious this is!’  Having had her fill, she stretched once more, and looked about.

Andrew sat upon the rock, with Misty on his lap, and Miss Mouse and Miss Mousie at his feet. These three had also been “quilting cats” and heard the call from their Mama on earth.  They had gotten together to go look for Andrew, and as always, found themselves collected and deposited at his feet.  Misty grumbled, “I’ll NEVER get used to you doing that,” she huffed.  Andrew chuckled.  He loved Misty, always full of questions, sometimes grumpy, but a sweetheart.

“Do you think we should go get her now?” she asked.  “I knew her from Mama’s quilting group.”

With that, she hopped off the angel’s lap, not waiting for an answer, and off she went toward the waiting kitty.

As she approached, she called to Miai ... “It’s okay, we’re all friends here!  I’m Misty, my mama quilts with your mama, and this is your tenth life, and that man is an angel, not just a man, and he’s nice, and he has treats in his pockets, and he’ll explain ..... come with me!”  In her excitement she never paused for a breath, nor to allow anyone else to speak!  Watching them, Andrew chuckled again.       

   

Not having a whim of an idea how to react to all this, Miai figured she’d follow along for now, and draw conclusions later.  The two kitties arrived at Andrew’s feet.  Miai looked at him, he seemed to be a very gentle person.  And there was the matter of pockets, and treats.  

Andrew picked her up, and settled her on his lap, and produced the promised treats.  ‘I’ll need to remember about that,’ she thought.  

“I gather Misty told you about us?” 

“Um, well, to a point she did, but I’m still rather confused.  Where’s my mama? And the sewing room? And the scrap basket? Better yet, where am I?”

“Your length of days on earth has come to an end, and your Mama sent you here to wait for her.  You have been drinking at Crystal Creek, which flows from the River of Life beyond the great gates of Heaven..  Man’s lifeline is longer than that of creatures, but time as you knew it doesn’t apply here.  One day  she will come too.”

“Are you God? How will she find me? Where should I wait? How do I tell her I’m here? And where is HERE?”

Andrew stroked her lovely fur, just the right way. She couldn’t help it, she closed her eyes and purred. 

“No, I am not God” he chuckled at that. “I am an angel, one of many, whose job it is to welcome newcomers and see that they are settled.

She will know, sweetheart. She will know.  “Right now people are reminding her of the Rainbow Bridge, which we’ll cross in a moment.  She knows that in the fullness of time she will be reunited with you to go to Heaven for all eternity.  Our creator knows when that will be, but we do not. We are only asked to believe.”

Mousie and Mouse started telling her about all the quilting kitties who were here, and that there were baskets of scraps to play with.

“Come along you two, let’s go meet the others, they are waiting for you.”  Andrew rose, cradling Miai in his arms, Mouse, Mousie and Misty at his feet close to the hem of his gown. 

Before she had time to think she found herself on a beautiful bridge made of every color of the rainbow. The other three kitties hopped off to join the waiting group.  Miai’s eyes grew wide and wider as she looked at all the animals apparently waiting for HER! There were cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, guinea pigs, and farther still there were deer and raccoons, just about every animal she could possibly think of.  

“Is all this for ME?” 

“Yep! We’re all here to greet you!”  This from a lovely grey kitty.  “All you have to do is accept the covenant our Creator made to all kind, and hop down with us.  None of us have been forgotten, none of us has been overlooked. Not the smallest meadow mouse to the largest bear, not the pets we were on earth. He knows when even a sparrow falls.”

He set Miai down on the Bridge, and stepped back.  The rest was up to this lovely kitty.  Miai thought about her Mama, and the sewing room, and all the projects they had made together.  She thought about all the pieces of quilts that had arrived in the mail, all the strange smells of other kitties.  

“But Mama, what about her? I know she will miss me”

“Not to worry about that” the grey kitty spoke again. We will teach you to send your thoughts and love to her, and will teach you how to visit her.  Not as you were, but as the spirit you are now.”

Miai remembered Mama talking about the Bridge, and everyone seemed so nice, and she wasn’t scared at all, though she had a zillion questions to ask.  

Misty looked up at Miai ... “It’s okay.  Your mama comforted mine when I left almost a year ago. Trust me, it’s all as it should be.  Here, I’ll jump with you.”  with that, Misty hopped back onto the bridge, and shoulder to shoulder the two cats leaped to the ground.  Miai was immediately surrounded by well wishers, and welcoming hugs.

Misty slipped silently away, and went to the edge of the meadow.  “It’s all right Mama, she’s here with us. Tell Ant Deb not to worry ... we will teach her what she needs to know ...”

As Andrew faded from sight he once again marveled at the bonds these creatures had with their people. Nothing, not time, nor death, nor distance could ever lessen those bonds.  At times he wished ...

“Andrew, you stop that RIGHT NOW.  You KNOW better!”

If you listened, you could hear an angel chuckle ...

 

       

 

 ©Rose Scott