第947期：每只宠物心中都有一座彩虹桥 – 写给爱小动物的你
看到彩虹桥这三个字你想到了什么？
雨后、晴空、彩虹、晚霞、圣经……也许还有很多。
但如果你有宠物或曾经养过宠物或热爱小动物，彩虹桥是一个充满了忧伤和快乐的地方。
1980-1990年代，美国俄勒冈的一个grief counselor（直译为”悲伤治疗师“）Paul C. Dahm写了一首散文诗，诗中讲了一个彩虹桥的故事（全诗贴在文章末尾），故事大意如下：
在天堂(heaven)和人世之间有一座彩虹桥连接两端。彩虹桥的人间这头是一片无边无际的草地(meadow).
一只宠物死后就会来到这片草地，在这里它身体的一切伤痛都会被治愈，身心都修复到最健康的状态。这里无忧无虑，宠物在草地上尽情地奔跑玩耍，有无尽的食物和水，阳光总在照耀，从无阴雨和黑夜。但宠物心中只有一个遗憾——不住地思念你，它的主人。
很多年后，宠物的主人也死了，他也会来到彩虹桥下的这片草地。宠物老远就闻到了主人熟悉的味道，它停下一切，发疯地朝主人跑来。主人和宠物终于又重逢了。他们一起走过彩虹桥，进入天堂，永远不再分开。
这就是 rainbow bridge的故事。每一只宠物，即便死了，也会在桥头久久地等待自己的主人。直到主人来了，才会与主人一起去天堂。
关于彩虹桥诗的原作者和版本问题一直存在争议，但我不想过多纠结这一点。我猜想最早写下这首散文诗的一定是一位充满了爱心的人，看到那么多失去了宠物的人走不出悲伤，就创造了这样一个美好的草地、桥和天堂的愿景来抚慰他们。让他们知道他们的宠物永远不会离他们而去。
一个美好的故事，留给了世界，这就足够了。
*宠物彩虹桥（pet rainbow bridge）的概念最早出现于挪威神话故事中（the Bifröst bridge of Norse Mythology), The Bifrost bridge was said to be a burning rainbow bridge that reaches
between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the realm of the gods.
附：英语中最早的Rainbow Bridge Poem, by Paul C. Dahm
“Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When
an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet
goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our
special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of
food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All
the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.
Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as
we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals
are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss
someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They
all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops
and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body
quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green
grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You
have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet,
you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The
happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved
head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long
gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….”
感谢你的阅读，明天见。
