The letter from the little girl to God about her 14 year old dog Abbey which had just passed away is touching, and yes, the story about how she got a reply with a letter and a book to soothe her is true.
Here’s the story according to the San Anonio Express News
The family of Joy and her husband, Greg, included three children and a black-and-white mutt named Abbey, who at 14 was older than the combined ages of their children.
Abbey died in mid-August 2006, and the most heartbroken of the family was 4-year-old Meredith. She told her mother she wanted to write a letter to God and dictated what she wanted to say.
There was a P.S. that said: “Mommy wrote it after Mer told her the words.”
The envelope, containing the letter and pictures, was addressed “To God in Heaven,” and mother and daughter walked to the Brook Hollow post office, where Meredith dropped it into the mailbox.
For two weeks afterward, Meredith continued to cry over Abbey.
When the family returned from a Labor Day trip, a package wrapped in gold was on their front porch, addressed to “Mer.”
Inside was a book by Fred Rogers (of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”) titled “When a Pet Dies.”
Also inside were Meredith’s letter and a handwritten note to the child. It was signed “God, and one of his special angels who wrote the letter after God told her the words.”
A kind-hearted postal worker had read Meredith’s letter and decided to write back and send her the book.
Here’s the e-mail and post that keeps Abbey’s memory alive, via Dog Heirs:
A letter from the Post Office~~Just Beautiful! This is the best!!
Whoever wrote and did this for this child… is a beautiful soul working in the UNITED STATES Post Office. Thank you.
Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away 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. I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She 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,
MeredithWe put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith, addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
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
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