Wait at the Rainbow Bridge ….

May 24, 2021

1882

Wait at the Rainbow Bridge

Today, May 24th, one month has passed since my favorite baby Cherub left all of us alone never to return. It really is pure coincidence that he left us on April 24th, exactly one month before completing twelve years of love and togetherness with us. I hope, there were none of the unspoken words that he took along uncomprehended.

A little angel wrapped in a green towel entered our lives and a proud mom of two biological kids became a mommy once again to her third one, born inside her heart.

He was a special one with a name as special as ‘Cherub’. Patiently selected by my daughter, after researching the internet for almost a week at 6.30 am daily because during those days internet charges were the cheapest till 8 am. We agreed to her selection after going through the lexical meaning of the word ‘Cherub’. Cambridge dictionary said, ‘Cherub’ means “an angel that is represented in art as a beautiful, fat, naked child with small wings” also “a beautiful and well-behaved child”. There he was, a beautiful, naked, and well-behaved child. As far as ‘Cherub’ being fat is concerned, despite my best efforts, I failed there. Today I can feel that he had those little wings hidden somewhere, which made him fly away from our lives.

My mornings are no more the same without him tapping my arm lightly at exactly 4.30 am to wake me up. I look for a black shadow outside the washroom door as I get ready to walk him. My hands still habitually open the Brittania Rusk and Marie biscuit container to serve him a few before moving towards the refrigerator to take out a crisp carrot for him. I no more like buying those fruit buns for there is no one around wagging a tail, licking his wet snout, to remind, how much it will be relished sitting under the fan. I still look behind awaiting the tapping sound of his paws as I go to the pooja room. No more a wet snout touches my elbow asking for a lick of deshi ghee. Daily as I put Vibhooti Teeka on my forehead I am reminded that I have lost a happy morning routine since he is gone.

Cherub was an angel of love and my best baby lived up to that name till his last breath. My wonderful assistant to help me wake up Yaman and Pari (the human siblings). Just one command,”Cherub, go wake up Yaman, Pari” and he would jump on their beds ensuring that they leave the beds. Now that was another story that I used to find him either sleeping along with them or alone in the cozy bed. Just look at that sleepy face and yawn. 😀

A big-time attention seeker that he was made me experience sibling rivalry for the first time in my parenting experience. Despite being very close and cuddly to his human siblings, he could never tolerate his sister Pari sitting close to me or hugging me. He would push her, fight with her to ensure that no one came between his Mumma and him. Cheers to the amazing satiety of love and attention that he gifted me.

He made me experience a new side of parenting that accepted all those bad attributes like laziness, dependency, choosy about food etc which I could never allow my biological children to enjoy. A baby, pampered to the core, who would like to have the best of everything without making any extra effort to get it. His toy hidden in a corner had to be given to him because he knew he would stand there, looking at the ball, barking unrelenting and mommy would provide him.

It was so funny to see him going around the dining table checking and smelling food served to his siblings to ensure that mommy was not being partial towards them. The kids too as a mark of duty had to make him smell their meals to comfort the baby of the house. Daily meal time began with the ritual of everyone calling out, “Cherub, good boy. Quickly eat your food. See we are also eating.” Sometimes I wonder if Cherub was fond of being the center of attraction or it was just his way to make the whole family feel connected and happy!

Like my daughter always says,” Mom, you never let us be the stereotypical ‘Fauji Brats’ but you raised Cherub as a real ‘BIGDA HUA BACCHHA’. Yes, I do agree he was my little brat. He didn’t have a doggy aura that is why the strays and pet dogs around him left no chance to pounce on him in anger. He never wanted to be friendly with any of the pets or strays around the corner but was over-friendly with humans. It took us a tremendous effort to keep him hidden inside the room so that he kept barking and we could tell people, “Oh! we have a ferocious dog that is why we have shut him inside.” Lol… only if people knew the truth.

Yes, I spoilt him and let him be my ‘LADLA BACCHHA’ till his last breath for the mother in me always wanted to show love and care to my children without asking anything in return. Cherub made me realize my capacity to love unconditionally.

The only expectation I had from him was for getting a hug to get me out of my sadness but that was never fulfilled. Today as I look back, I understand that he knew he would not be around me for very long thus didn’t want me to be emotionally dependant on anyone. He never came near me whenever I was upset and that taught me to take my own time and come out of sadness on my own.

Cherub was the one who filled my life with extreme love and empathy. My heart, full of his beautiful memories can make me ignore the toughest hateful People around for I know what love feels like. He taught me to understand the needs of a loved one by looking at those eyes. Cherub entered my life to teach me about extreme selfless love and went away making me experience the extreme pain and emptiness created by loss.

They say, when pet babies leave the human world, on their way to Heaven, they reach the beautiful meadows just before the Rainbow Bridge. As they reach there, they get healed of all their physical pains and illness. They play with the other pet babies till one day they suddenly reunite with their owner and cross the Rainbow Bridge together into Heaven, never to part again. If that myth is true even a bit, I hope my Cherub will finally be able to make a few pet friends there. All I wish now is for him to be a good boy and run around with his new friends. At the end of my journey, I know I will find him waiting for me there in the meadows for both of us to cross that Rainbow Bridge together.