They say a dog is for life and not just for Christmas. Well, I fostered Oscar (Goldendoodle) and Lily (Labradoodle) from the Doodle Trust in 2011 just for Christmas. They actually ended up staying for the whole of their lives and I loved them both very much.
I started writing Meet You By the Bridge when Oscar was diagnosed with lymphoma. Unfortunately, we lost him shortly after. I returned to, finished and recorded the song when we knew Lily was coming to the end of her life in August 2020. I was trying to describe the emotion about the hardest but kindest and most important decision you will ever have to make for your pet.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies they go to Rainbow Bridge and wait. There are meadows and hills so they can run and play. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, our pets are warm and comfortable. The animals are happy and content, except for one thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
One day, they suddenly stop, sniff the air and look into the distance. Suddenly they begin to run from the group, flying over the green grass, legs carrying them faster and faster. You have been spotted. When you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in a joyous reunion, never to be parted again. You look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Meet You By the Bridge is a song that I hope comforts you as much as it comforted me writing it.
Christmas time is a struggle for dog rescue centres and this year is no exception. So many lockdown dogs, so much to do at Christmas.
I really hope that this song can raise some well-needed funds for an amazing charity.
You can listen to it here.
Thank you.
Emma Gale.