When the big guy arrived I knew there would be a job I needed to do for my own Mama. You know he comes to us how we see him best. I knew this was not something I would do for my Dad because well—you know when it’s a Dad job the kind black lady with the swishy skirt comes. No, this was defiantly a special job for Mama.

The big guy said, “Riley my friend, it’s going to be a blessing year, so many people have been generous and your fund will help many this year. But right now we have to prepare we have a lot to do my son. I need you to be the helper and tell your friend Thor that he is needed to.” And so it began, the year of blessings, 2012.

I called Thor and told him something was up, he’s a good man—always the helper–like me. We looked down at our earth life and saw Mama. It was a cold and snowy Sunday morning and she was already working on my fund stuff. Then the phone rang. It was Mama’s friend Debbie Patterson. Her goofy pup Shelby was sick and she wanted to know what to do—you know how pups are she ate something yucky.

After Mama and my friend Debbie got the Shelby emergency under control Debbie said to Mama, “I thought you should know that Carly Schuberg died.” For my own Mama I so wish I could have hugged her because I saw her own heart break, just like when I crossed the bridge, for Mama the tears just would not stop for she loved Carly dearly.

Then the big guy appeared again and said Riley now you know why we have a big job to do and it has to be done in a very special way, for your Mama and for all of Carly’s family. It’s time for us to help him cross the bridge. Then I understood why Thor was the helper this time, he was Carly’s very own special dog. Mama would say Thor was Carly’s Riley. Mama says that many dogs come and go in a person’s life but only one or two are your heart dogs. MacKenzie and I are Mama’s heart dogs, like Thor is Carlys.

This time was different though, the crossing of the rainbow bridge I mean. Usually when a person or animal crosses there is a hurry, and a bustle, and we have little time to get ready. I knew that Carly was at peace, well sort of on his way there anyway but I did not know why it would take him so long to arrive or why we needed so much time to prepare. But the big guy, he always knows best, I’ve learned to trust that.

So that Sunday we started the getting ready. First, of course I called Lettie, Mama’s Grandma, but we all call her Grandma Frozen Cookie like Mama’s baby Heather did. I called her for she is a horsewoman and only a horsewoman could properly welcome a horseman like Carly. Of course she said I will help he was a special man when your Mama was a child I took her to the horse races at Marion and your Mama laughed when he said, “And here they all come!” Let me go get my little black horse, she will round up all the horses and they will line the rainbow bridge.

Then the big guy said go and find Mama’s Grandfather Myrl. He was a farmer like Carly and he would be the one to round up all the cattle for the crossing. When Myrl came he had his cowboy hat on and his blue and gold gloves which I thought was rather different but I have learned up here we don’t question things—rather we just go with the flow. The rounding up would take time–cattle move rather slowly—maybe that was why we had to start early. Who knows?

Next I called Santana, Dad’s special big black cat. He was in charge of our barn in his earth life so he would be the logical choice to round up all of the cats for the crossing. First he went and found Carly’s own cat children. The little female one she was so excited! She did one of the funniest things I have ever seen. When Santana told her that her own Dad was crossing she danced and then she did a cartwheel. I mean really, can you believe it! You know cats, they are real free spirits—a cartwheel, wow!

Next, Thor and I got all the dogs together. The rescue dogs they especially wanted to help because they are the ones who understand a kind heart like Carly’s more than anyone else does. They know what it is like to have been lost and alone and what it means when someone shows them kindness like Carly always did in his earth life.

Finally, Wednesday morning arrived; there were thousands of us ready for the crossing. I still could not figure out why Carly had to wait for so long to come.

The horses were ready lining the bridge with their necks arched, nostrils flaring. Excitement was in the air. They were all there, harness horses, work horses and of course the riding horses. Next, were the cattle, all polished up like they were being shown at the county fair. The cats wandered in and out of the horses legs and that darn little one she was still doing cartwheels—I just don’t get it. The dogs all lined up behind Thor and I. Grandma Frozen Cookie and Grandpa Myrl lead the procession with Grandma’s little black horse.

Then we understood, we watched it all from a far ways. People spoke of Carly in kind ways at his funeral. It was really quite something to see all of the people, so many loved him. We all loved him. And his whole family was there. All of Mama’s special people were there; I think everyone in Big Rapids came. Of course KT, Carly’s wife looked beautiful, she always does. It’s almost like she sparkles—that’s what Mama says. We looked down and saw the beautiful pine box that Carly had made with his own hands for his earth journey and still I wondered why is my friend Carly not up here watching with us from a far ways. It was like he had to wait for something special to happen before he could leave his earth life—really it was quite unusual.

The funeral ended and Mama got in her car to go back to work. She told Dad she was sorry that she would miss the procession but she really needed to go back to her job. Jobs are kind of silly things I think. But Mama says she has a job so she can buy dog food and biscuits. As soon as Mama got in her car her phone rang. It was Ken at the shelter. He is a kind man like Carly, he loves dogs too. That was when I knew the first blessing of 2012 was about to happen. Ken told Mama that someone had just left a little pup at the shelter, it was a Boston Terrier he said, but it was a severe neglect case. Could Mama come? Of course Mama said yes, she always does. Ken said I will wait for you to get here. That’s the kind of man he is.

Mama drove out past Clear Lake to the shelter. She went right past Carly’s earth house! Around the curves and then she turned to the animal shelter. A nice officer unlocked the shelter door and Ken met her inside. There in a kennel she saw him, all curled up in a bed with a blanket Ken had given him. He was so sick, so quiet; it was one of the worst things Mama had seen. But Mama and Ken they scooped him up in a blanket and he snuggled up in my own Mamas lap for the ride that would save his small life. Of course Mama would take him right to my own Doctor Don and to my Cathy. If anyone could fix this poor little broken soul for Mama they could. Barb would help too, that Barb she’s the best helper ever. She said I will be the foster Mom when he can come to a home. If he needs a foster Mom I’m on it. My Mama and Barb they will find him a forever home when it is time.

To be honest with you I had sort of forgotten about Mama, which rarely happens. You know with all of the getting ready to help Carly cross the bridge and such. It was so busy up here. We had just helped Rico, Mama’s boxer friend, cross and many others too had come when we were getting ready for Carly’s special crossing.

It was then I looked down and it all became clear—you know the big guys plan. That’s how it is with the big guy sometimes he doesn’t let us know the whole plan right away. So we wait until he decides the time is right, and then the big guy–he lets us in on his plan.

I realized then– what the earth procession was– and why it was so very important and why Carly waited to cross. Ben and Jerry Carly’s big work horses had promised to take Carly on his last earth ride. Horses are solid like that; they never go back on a promise. So came the procession, all of the Schuberg’s were there, each and every one of them. Mama’s friend Kevin he would walk with Ben and Jerry. All the men had cowboy hats and blue and gold gloves on for my Swedish friend Carly. Now my Grandfathers attire made sense, it always does up here if you wait long enough.

Ben and Jerry they were so proud. As Ben and Jerry took the first step with their best friend ever—Carly on board for his last earth journey, that was when the big guy said, “Ok everyone, get ready it’s finally time, he’s coming home.”  It was that exact moment Carly started his journey to the bridge. Because for us you know part of the journey is the watching those who love us from a far ways.

Carly came slowly at first, they all do, still filled with the pain from their earth life. Then as his foot touched the bridge the magic started—it really is quite something. Every time is magic like the first time ever, every single crossing of the rainbow bridge is so very special.

Of course Carly greeted me kindly, he always did on the earth. He said, “Riley my friend your earth work as Dr. Riley was important, thank you for coming to see me in the confusing times.” I knew how grateful he was, he loved Lexy and I, and of course he loved my own Mama.  Then Grandpa Myrl gave Carly a big farmer handshake and he gave him a cowboy hat and some blue and yellow gloves.

And Grandma Frozen Cookie’s little black horse reared up tall—she always does that, it’s rather specular. Grandma, she gave Carly a heart box to have for his very own. You know that’s the box were we all keep a piece of our special peoples hearts, the part of their hearts that broke when we crossed over. Carly’s heart box it is lined with emerald green velvet like the grass on earth. He has pieces of lots of hearts, KT’s, his children, his grandchildren, all of his friends and of course there is a piece of my own Mama’s heart too. And Carly’s little cat she did cartwheels for him and he bent down and he kissed her gently. Cats—they really are free spirits. The horses they all stood tall and proud with the cattle behind them.

Then my friend Carly he saw Thor, his very own special dog of a lifetime. Thor walked up the bridge slowly to Carly and he bowed his head and put his paws over his nose as if saying his prayers.  Carly said, “My good friend your prayers have been answered you and I will be together for all of time.” And they danced, it was a dance of joy like we had never seen.

Then Carly looked down, he looked a far, far ways and he saw them all–Ben and Jerry proudly pulling the antique hearse, each and every member of his family walking proudly behind the hearse, the men in the cowboy hats with the blue and yellow gloves. And there was a river of tears from all of those who loved him. His KT and his children and grandchildren and all of his friends, all there for his final earth journey.

It was then I saw her, my own Mama. I mean really, it is a miracle how things happen. Mama so wanted to be there for the procession but there was work and it seems as though for Mama there is always something. But the big guy he knows that sometimes there are more important things to do. So he planned it all. As I looked down a far ways I saw her, my own dear Mama at the corner of Millpond Road, there she sat with the sick little dog on her lap. Watching them file by with her friend Carly’s earth body.

She looked down at the little neglected dog with no name and she knew then that Doc would save him and he would get a forever home. She spoke to him softly and she said, “You will always be loved, you are safe now, you have been rescued. Your name will be Carly, and for you because of a kind and gentle man it will be a year of blessings.” We all knew then, it fell into place—you know the big guys plan. Carly loved his animals and today as he crossed over a small animal child would have a chance. It was a real blessing day. It was the day that both Carly’s got a new start—one on my side of the bridge and one on Mama’s side. It was a good day—and I got to watch it all because from here I can see a far, far, ways.

Hugs, Riley