By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Author’s Note: Grace Under Pressure is an on-going series of posts honoring everyday people who courageously make positive differences in their own lives and consequently in the lives of others. It is my own personal affirmation that unexpected heroes reside among us and that they serve as quiet but unshakable proof that virtue really is its own reward – and ours, too.
4-year-old Meredith was heartbroken over the loss of her dog, Abbey. The dog,a black lab, was a member of her family for a decade before Meredith was born and became a fixture in her young life. The day after the tragedy, Meredith’s mom came up with a wonderful way to console her daughter. She and Meredith decided to send a letter to Heaven announcing Abbey’s homecoming. Meredith wanted to make sure God recognized her friend amid all the new arrivals:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I ‘m 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
Meredith and her mom even enclosed a picture of Abbey with her tiny master to make sure God knew whom the little girl meant.
After addressing the envelope to “God in Heaven” and dutifully applying plenty of postage, the letter was deposited in the mailbox. A few days later, Meredith asked her mom if she believed that God had read the letter yet. Her mom assured her that it had been read and that Abbey was frolicking with all her new friends in Paradise.
The next day a package wrapped in gold paper arrived at Meredith’s home. It was addressed to Meredith and written in handwriting nobody recognized. Inside the box was the classic children’s book by Fred Rogers, When a Pet Dies. Alongside was the letter Meredith sent and the photograph. There was another letter, too. This one was from the Sender. It read:
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’m 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
Some people say the letter was from a kindly soul in the dead letter office at the local post office. But more enlightened folks like Meredith and her mom know that the letter wouldn’t have arrived but for the intervention of a higher power — like the one that resides in the best of human hearts.
Source: DarynKagan.com
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Chuck
Yep, that’s about what it is. How dare someone show kindness in the context a child from a devout family who suffered a loss in a manner that she might find consoling.
I remember back twenty or so years ago, maybe more, Wenatchee PD responded to to a domestic where a woman suffered her boyfriend going berzerk and trashed her place. He went to jail. She mentioned that on top of all of this it happened on her birthday. The officers working that night pooled their money and bought her a gift and a birthday cake to bring her some peace in the matter. I rememember someone griping about this. Seems like there is always one Debbie Downer in the crowd.
I feel only pity for those whose lives are so empty and devoid of meaning they feel compelled to belittle and minimize the joy and wonderment of a small child.
Just because you either believe or don’t believe in something, there is no need to take a dump on somebody elses happy story.
I do not understand the comment above about Santa Clause being a fiction.
We would like to hear from the dog when he becomes reincarnated back on Earth. If it comes back as a dog then it can tell us because it will remember. Keep your ears open. If it comes back reincarnated as a human it was probably a sinner as a dog. A human can come back as a dog if it has enough points and makes the request at the Pearly Gates.
Once again those so certain that “their” viewpoint is the one and only “correct” viewpoint without any basis in fact show their faces.
Oh to be so certain about that which you have no knowledge of, that is unless you’ve died and come back to tell us that indeed death is final. Is that even possible?
As for sending her a puppy, each family should decide for itself when and if and which puppy. No one else should assume this task.
Great story. What’s the lie? The family believes in God and that dogs go to heaven. This is not a unique belief. Angels come in many forms. Surely it was an angel who provided the response. It’s a great way for the family and the angel to help the child deal with her grief at losing a pet.
This is a much better story than to tell the child that her pet has been eaten by worms. While this is probably true, they were addressing the essence of the pet, its soul. Its soul is undoubtedly in heaven awaiting its time for reincarnation.
True kindness would have been to send her a real live puppy, instead of a box of pixie dust.
Sorry, I’m with mulebreath, there is enough actual beauty and kindness in the world that we shouldn’t have to resort to lying to our children to console them.
The photograph is misattributed, but the story of the mysterious reply is true.
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/abbey.asp
Beautiful and touching story Mark.
Guess I’m being a wet blanket in the cute story crowd, but I find no kindness in the perpetuating of myths. Better to have comforted the child with reasonable explanation so as not to promote unreasonable expectation.
Have a heroic day.
I know it sounds curmudgeonly to some, but I find this kind of connivance by adults rather disturbing. It’s one thing to maintain the fiction of Santa Claus, quite another to deliberately go out of one’s way to lie to a child. The adult who wrote the letter knowingly did so.
Thank You Mark you made my day.
The world needs to hear more every-day-life experiences of unexpected virtue and its results, such as this one. Starting my day with this in a wonderful way. Thank you for sharing Mark. Definite re-post.
Belief is the primary cognitive dynamic of children. Adults ruin a lot of the beliefs of children eventually.
Fred Rogers was a gift from God. I watched him w/ my kids every chance I got.
Mark, Just woke up in Brooklyn on a beautiful, crisp morning. We visited the 9/11 Memorial yesterday which is quite moving. Having friends here, I know it is different for folks who live in this great city. We had dinner w/ friends who lost loved ones 12 years ago. Our female friend was the daughter of a firefighter. Her dad was retired but she knew many firefighters through her dad that were killed. We had a great dinner @ Marco Polo, an Italian restaurant just down Court St. from their shop. I sent them this story. They need it this beautiful morn.
Thanks Mark.
I needed that on this day and this week.
Thanks again.
That’s a beautiful story, Mark. Thanks for sharing it.