Shellbee's Story
Page 13
I am sure by now you all understand that I lived a very human existence. My human qualities always made my family and friends treat me like a princess. Eternity hasn’t changed me—I am still a party girl, ready to dress up for any event. I really want Mommy and Pappy to be happy in the knowledge that I will always be me and will always be near to them. Even better, I now get to ride around in the front seat of Mommy’s car to keep her company and see the sights—something I wasn’t allowed to do on Earth. Before I had to be harnessed in the backseat (“air bags are very dangerous, Shellbee”), but no more! I follow Pappy around the kitchen, too. I can still smell the home-cooked meals he made for me: special spices, turkey, vegetables, and a few tasty bites from his dinner plate—all organic. I even bump into the back of his legs sometimes and almost trip him. It was great fun to do that on earth, and my playful spirit still likes to nudge him.
I am here in eternity with M.T. (maternal grandmother), who pats my head a lot. She loves me, and we’re both with P.T. (Poppa Turtle, my paternal grandfather), whom I hadn’t met before now.
Mommy and Pappy are going to have a party on the beach this weekend for my birthday. I will be there, of course, hanging around, watching everyone celebrate. I’m the reason all these guests come and have such a fun time—so, as my Uncle Mike says, “keep on truckin’.”
Today during my reading with Pappy, Susan and I gave my parents some instructions—actually we barked some orders. Mommy hasn’t been spending enough time working on my book, so I said, “Get on with it.” Mommy is a good girl and is writing this part today, even though she is tearful. Grieving for me is something Mommy does a lot, which is understandable because we were inseparable on earth. So I gave my parents a second order: I told them to get another dog, or at least to start thinking about it. Mommy and Pappy are dog people, and since my transformation, they’ve gone around borrowing other people’s dogs. Imagine that!
Mommy and Pappy spent time this summer at their friend Joy’s lake house. Joy has the mind-heart of a dog: loyal and courageous. She has two male Golden Retrievers and a little, brown rescue dog. Well, what a scene I watched from above! Hero, one of the Goldens, is eleven years old and has legs the size of spaghetti noodles. Joy was very heartbroken because he could no longer keep his head above water while swimming. Mommy said, “When we come, we’ll fix that problem.” Hero donned my swimming vest and took to the water like the champion he is. Now, my mommy is all about water and dogs, so she put on her rubber suit and fins—with this ensemble, she’s claw-proof and can swim as fast as a fish. It still makes me giggle to see Mommy covered in rubber (Pappy laughs about it, too). As you know, I often used Mommy as a water float, and she would swim for both of us. So with Hero now swimming on his own, Mommy had to contend with J.D.—a big Golden who is obsessed with balls. I was never one to chase a ball into the water—that’s what humans are for! (Although I was known to play catch while lying on a float . . .) I should warn you that J.D. is a cheater and a sneak attacker when it comes to balls. Mommy learned quickly that he wasn’t one to be faked out. After a few eighty-pound dunkings, Mommy figured out it was best to swim fast with her fins so she could beat J.D. to the ball and throw it far away. All this was going on while Hero was trying to walk up the stairs of a float, which he could no longer negotiate with his spaghetti noodle legs. So Mommy started helping Hero rest on the stairs and protect him from getting clobbered by his very energetic brother J.D., and all the while Joy and Pappy were “ankle dwellers” in the water. What a big help they were—laughing and cheering on the chaos.
Now, we haven’t gotten to the little brown dog, Stella. Stella cannot keep herself away from the water, which is surprising coming from her mix breed. Pappy bought Stella a swimming vest because she needs to be drown-proof. Whenever Stella is close to water, she leaps into it, eyes rolled back and swimming to nowhere. Her desire for water is matched only by her lack of water skills. Don’t judge, but Stella has a vest and cable attached to her just in case she doesn’t stop swimming to nowhere. Mommy and Pappy were dumbstruck by this (something that rarely happens to them). They had heard of Stella’s water antics but thought Joy had to be exaggerating. After their first visit, the consensus was “Stella is nuts.” During their second visit, Mommy was determined to fix Stella’s predilection for swimming to nowhere. With the helpful observation of the “ankle dwellers” (Pappy and Joy), Mommy began training Stella to pay attention in the water by throwing a ball to her or by, more often than not, simply saying over and over again, “Hello, Stella—are you in there?” Well, miracles do happen. Stella started catching the ball (which probably came about when she realized that the choice was between catching the ball or getting banged in the head by the ball). Whenever Stella caught the ball, there was a slight improvement in her swimming form—she calmed down—but soon enough, she’d return to her frenzied spanking of the water. Mommy then tried to teach Stella to swim to shallow water when she needed to rest. What a sight those two were: Mommy pulling Stella into the shallows while Stella’s legs frantically kicked against the water and clawed at Mommy’s fins. Then another miracle happened: after a few training sessions (with me giggling as I watched), Stella did go to rest in the shallow water, even if it was only for moment. Stella needs a lot of help, and some animal spirit guides are on their way as I speak.
You can’t really understand where a dog is coming from until you know his past. For example, Hero’s name perfectly depicts the essence of who he is; however, there was a time when he was a troublemaker. J.D. is an orphan. His daddy and mommy have already transitioned, so he went to live with his human sister, Joy, and Joy’s daughter, Jayne. Stella, oh Stella, lived on the streets; she was bait in dog fights and seemed to be destined to a short life. Then along came Joy and Jayne, and they saved her from the jaws of death. Stella needed to be with people who would heal her damaged soul. She is one of the chosen dogs, and she’s was lucky enough to find a family who would take her in with open arms. Actually, it isn’t as simple as that—humans put a lot of work into helping heal animals who have been hurt on earth. Stella realizes how much work it is and pays her family back big time. She is very loving and compassionate. She does, however, have some Cujo ways about her as well. It’s important to understand that the early lessons of survival in the animal kingdom are deeply ingrained; but like humans, we can be healed and guided to a more peaceful existence. Both humans and dogs who have been hurt face the same challenge: when a good thing comes along, we can choose to latch on to the goodness or hang on to the badness. Stella is a very good girl—mutant in appearance but with a gentle soul.
Mommy and Pappy spend a lot of time with their grandpuppy, Trixie, fussing over her and loving her. Mommy slips her food from the table—a big no-no, rule-breaker! I want my parents to have a dog of their own to love again. When they do get one, she’ll be like me—a swimmer, kayaker, connoisseur, partier, and very earnest, loyal, and loving. Perhaps the best description of me in both my earthly and spiritual form is “Love-Love.”
Yours truly, in love,
Shellbee
Letter 33
Dear Shellbee
Dear Shellbee, after reading all your heartfelt letters, it is time to write one to you.
Your presence in our lives enriched us in ways that only Shellbee Ann Campbell’s unique soul could. You found a way to break through the struggles we face as humans. Somehow, you always knew just the right thing to do to bring smiles and comfort to everyone you met. Your gift to make tears stop flowing and erase fears from hearts seemed to come naturally to you. You faced each day with effortless happiness, excited for any and all possibilities. Every day you, our dearest Shellbee, created events that brought about surprise as well as unexpected, joyous moments—gifts you so freely gave. You have left permanent paw prints on all our souls in shapes that resonate uniquely with each one of us.
Dearest Shellbee, you created great, timeless works of art, you sang music that is celestial, and you shared colorful
vibrations of feeling. Your physical presence is missed each and every moment in earthly time, yet there is a peace attached to the sorrow, because it is without a doubt that:
Shellbee was and
Shellbee always will be
— quote by Linda Scott, “Stargazer”
Yours truly, in love,
Everyone
Dedication
Shellbee’s Story is dedicated to everyone with the purity of her love. Shellbee symbolized a “connection between the above and the below,” which is the essence of Linda Scott’s sculpture Stargazer. Artist Linda Scott inspired the continuation of Shellbee’s Story, as she believed Shellbee’s voice should be heard.
With Linda Scott’s permission, a picture of Stargazer is included:
We are the conscious relationship to the universe.
We are responsible for our planet and its future.
Epilogue
Hi, it’s me—Shellbee. I still keep watch over my family, and I’ve been putting the thought of getting another puppy into Mommy’s head. Pappy has been thinking about it for a while; Mommy is finally catching up. My angelic plan has worked. Finally. Mommy started looking on that crazy box for their next girlie. Just like with my doctors, Mommy and Pappy can’t do anything close to home. Mommy has cast a wide net to three different states.
As you may have already guessed, I do plan to return to my earthly family. Since I was an animal, I don’t return to Earth or reincarnate to expand or discover spirituality. I already have that Upper Connection. It is the purity of Love that pulls me back to my earthbound family. It is with some sacrifice that I choose to leave this Higher Plane of Existence. On Earth, animals must contend with all sorts of negative vibrations, even in the most loving families.
Well, whenever Mommy and Pappy find the right puppy, she will be named Love-Love, which you know was also one of my nicknames. I came from Woodloch Kennel, and my kennel name was Woodloch’s Halloween Treat. My new kennel name will be something that captures the space and time I am born into.
Rest assured, I will be watching over the creation of the new puppy and soaking up the joy and love of my earthly friends and family. Love-Love will have daily celebrations in her life—a life not yet begun!!
Yours truly, in love,
Shellbee
Postscript
On April 27, 2016 Love-Love was born! Now she is home with Mommy and Pappy. Love-Love came from Woodhull Labradors; her AKC name is Woodhull’s Moriches Sunrise. The cover of my story is that exact setting, where I saw countless sunrises and sunsets. Now it is time for Love-Love’s story to unfold.
Final beach walk before I was released. Mommy and me SELFIE!!
The spirit of Shellbee has nuzzled our souls
I know she is with us, our bond always whole
To bring us humans comfort was her only goal
A faithful pup, top of her breed
She knew how to touch our every need
As we did for her, when her pain would not leave
Even as it brought us to tears
Saying goodbye to those years
She’ll always remain “here”
Always in our hearts and prayers
~ Uncle Mikey