Meredith's Letter to Heaven

Meredith's Letter to Heaven | www.amalgamationspp.com

Since October 2006, this story came under a variety of titles, including "Going Postal," "Angels at the Post Office," "Angels Turn Up In Unexpected Places," and "This is a US Postal Service Story."

Some of you may know that our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month (8/23). The day after she died, my 4 year-old-daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

She dictated and I wrote:

Dear God,

Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and swim before she got sick. I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her.

Love,
Meredith Claire

P.S.: Mommy wrote the words after Mer told them to her

We put that in an envelope with 2 pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Mer stuck some stamps on the front (because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven) and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office.

For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday, for Labor Day, we took the kids to Austin to a natural history museum. When we got back, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said "To: Mer" in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith took it in and opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers, When a Pet Dies. Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked 'Return to Sender: Insufficient address'). On the opposite page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words "For Meredith." We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:

Dear Mer,

I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.

You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like she stays in your heart young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets! So I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember Abbey.

One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps.

Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. 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 am in heaven and wherever there is love.

Love,
God, and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words.

According to Cary Clack of the San Antonio Express News, the tale is real. In mid-August 2006, the San Antonio family of Greg and Joy Scrivener and their three children suffered the loss of Abbey, their 14-year-old black and white dog. Driven by concern for their pet's future welfare, 4-year-old Meredith, the Scriveners' middle child, dictated the note quoted above to her mother, then enclosed it and two photos of the family dog in an envelope addressed "To: God in Heaven." This envelope, bearing the family's return address, was dropped into a mailbox at the Brook Hollow post office.

Two weeks later, the Scriveners found on their front porch a package wrapped in gold-colored paper and addressed "To: Mer." In the parcel, along with the letter from "God" quoted above, was a book by Fred Rogers (of TV's Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood fame), When a Pet Dies (a book that "helps children share feelings of the loss of a pet while offering reassurance that grieving is a natural, healing thing to do").

According to her mother, Meredith was comforted by the book and letter and was unastounded that God saw fit to write back. "She wasn't surprised because she had such faith that her letter was going to get to God." (The oldest of the Scrivener children, 6-year-old Andy, was impressed. He "thought it was pretty special his sister got a book from the angel," says his mom.

While Mrs. Scrivener considered asking at the post office about the package, she decided against it. "I kind of like not knowing," she said. "I don't know who took the time to do it, but it was an angel. We all think about doing these things, but no one takes the time to do it."

Click to continue reading »

Calderon Dolphins Killing Festival in Denmark

I thought of Denmark as a lovely country with wonderful people. But this is just completely disappointing, to say the least.

As unbelievable as it is, even today this custom continues, in Dantesque, in the Faroe Islands, Denmark. A country supposedly civilized and seemingly first class. No one does anything to prevent this savagery and cruelty committed against the Calderons, intelligent dolphins that are placid. They approach humans out of friendliness.

First time I saw this I thought it was oil leakage.

Then I looked closer. Hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins lay savagely slaughtered, soaked in their own pool of blood.

This happens every year in Faroe Islands in Denmark . This killings' main participants are young men. It's a tradition, a right of passage for young men entering adulthood.

In this big "celebration" no one is missing the fun. Everyone is participating, killing, or watching the savagery.

The Calderon dolphins, like all other species of dolphins are near extinction. They get near man, to play and interact in a way of pure friendship.

Here, man cut them out with thick hocks. The dolphins produce a grim sound, resembling a cry of a new born child.

He slaughters the calderon with no compassion.

Hundreds are piled, dead.

One final blow to the head.

My heart goes out to these poor, innocent dolphins.

This is a cultural tradition. And while I am not in the position to influence what they should, or should not do, these dolphins are on the brink of extinction. That is a fact that needs to be emphasized. And I think dolphin slaughter transcends cultural issues. It is plain savagery and cruelty most unlike cultural diets and customs such as what we do with cattles or poultries which are not endangered species, neither are they slaughtered for fun or rites of passage.

I fear that we will see many marine species on the extinct list, including these Calderon dolphins if this kind of tradition continues.

Click to continue reading »