Kindred Spirits

[BustopherJones]

The old Border Collie had been through a difficult life. When she was young, she had been a working dog; never allowed inside the house, she spent her nights alone, sleeping in the dirt amidst the cold rain and snow. If she did not please her master, she was kicked, until her spirit was finally gone. When she was no longer of use for herding, she was sold to a puppy farm; isolated in a cage without human contact, her only purpose was to breed more Border Collies. When she became too old to breed, she was taken to the shelter; of course, no one wanted an old worn-out dog, and so she spent her last few days there, days filled with pain and heartbreak. Her life had been filled with loneliness and abuse, and there was no one who took the time to look inside her heart and see the love and devotion for people that existed there, despite her treatment by humans. Now she sadly waited at Rainbow Bridge; but there was no one to wait for, no one to take her across the Bridge to her deserved reward.

 

The old woman had been through a difficult life. When she was young, she had been beautiful, but she had married an abusive man. Later came the children; but when the children came, she was not as beautiful, and her husband abandoned her, breaking her spirit. She loved dogs, and always dreamed of having one; but the financial burden of raising a family alone did not leave enough money to own one. As the children grew, they moved away, in spirit as well as in body; so she spent her last years alone, still too poor to own a dog. In the end, she became frail and ill; she spent her final days in isolation, days filled with pain and heartbreak. Her life had been filled with loneliness and abuse, and there was no one left who cared enough to look inside her heart and see the love and devotion that existed there. Now she sadly stood at Rainbow Bridge, envious of those who were being greeted by their long-lost beloved pets; but there was no dog waiting for her, no beloved pet to accompany her across the Bridge to her deserved reward.

 

And so they both stood this side of the Bridge heartbroken, the old dog and the old woman. Their eyes met, and the old dog understood that this human too had known misery and heartbreak. The old dog went to the old woman, crouching in a submissive posture, ears down and tail between her legs, because she had never learned to trust humans, despite the love in her heart. She nuzzled the old woman’s hand as if to reassure her that all was well now, and that God would treat her better than Man had.

 

The old woman saw the dog approaching. She saw in the dog’s approach the misery and heartbreak that the old dog had suffered, and she could not contain the tears. When this old dog nuzzled her hand and showed her a kindness that had been so lacking for so many years, she kneeled down and put her arms around the dog, and all the love stored up in her heart suddenly found someone with whom it could be shared.

 

The old dog had finally found someone who cared; and the old woman had finally found a companion to fill the empty place in her heart. The two joined together in a bond that, in death, they had never enjoyed in life.

 

And the two kindred spirits crossed the Bridge together …

 

 

Dedicated to Barbra -- by Bustopher Jones

[OurBoys]

Bustopher,

 

It's not nice to make people cry! That's a beautiful story.

[TaliC2007]

It's not nice to make people cry!

 

Really Bustopher. I am at work with tears rolling down my cheeks. People are starting to wonder if I really hate my job. What a great story. I am going to pass it on so my co-workers can share my kleenex.

 

Tammy

[Pat W.]

ohhh my.......Kleenex please

[sea4th]

Beautiful.