The Heaven Of Animals

The idea for The Heaven of Animals came to me as I noticed a habit of my dogs looking into space.  I wondered if they saw beyond what I could see.  You’ll see that in the text of the book.  I’d read many books about animals in heaven, but none of them gave me the reassurance I needed. I wanted to know that my animal friends would rejoice in seeing me when I met them again…

and I wanted my dogs to be comforted by my voice in heaven.  In The Heaven of Animals, “when angels whisper in animal ears, it is your voice that each animal hears.”  

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”8″ gal_title=”Nancy Tillman”]

With all of my heart, I believe it is true
that there is a heaven for animals, too.
Sometimes I think that they already know,
all of the animals . . . just where they’ll go.
Haven’t you noticed them drift off and stare,
lift their soft noses, and gaze into air?
I think that maybe it’s heaven they see . . .

beyond what their wishes
could wish it to be.

When dogs get to heaven
they’re welcomed by name,
and angels know every dog’s
favorite game.

They race to the corners of
heaven and back,
and everyone gets a turn
leading the pack.

When kitties arrive on their soft kitty paws
they are even more lovely to look at because
when they bathe up in heaven, their fur is so fine—
they stretch out their toes and just let themselves shine.

They perch on a limb of their very own tree.
It is amazing how far they can see.
Then they play and they purr, and they yawn and they nap
in their own ray of light in their favorite lap.

Horses in heaven are never alone,
and grass is much sweeter than
grass here at home.
Whenever they want to, horses
can snack; as soon as they nibble,
it grows itself back.

Sometimes a horse just wants to have fun,
so he and his friends kick their hooves up and run.

When it is thundering up in the sky, horses in heaven
are galloping by.

Days often end
in fantastical hues—
marmalade oranges . . .
butterfly blues.

Sometimes at twilight,
in indigo skies,
animals gather
to play with fireflies.

Sometimes they dance with the angels,
or sing.

Heaven changes everything.
But the love that you have for your animal friends
is always the same—that love never ends.
It makes itself known in all kinds of ways.
It floats all around them, or settles and stays.
And when angels whisper in animal ears,
it is your voice that each animal hears.

You’ll grow older; I will, too.
That’s what people always do.
But when you meet your friends again,
they’ll see you as they saw you then.
And you’ll find they always knew
how much they were loved . . .
and how much they loved you.

Editor’s Comments

I’m delighted to welcome best selling children’s book author Nancy Tillman as a Guest Author here on Waggly Dogs.

Nancy has kindly given us permission to publish the entire text of her book “The Heaven of Animals” together with some of the beautiful illustrations. What better way to explain the death of a precious pet to your children and how we will be reunited with them in heaven than through the medium of her well written, superbly illustrated books?

I was moved to tears reading the text of this book – so touching are the words she uses to express the sentiment of pet loss. To anyone who has ever loved and lost a precious pet I recommend Nancy’s books as a beacon of hope for children and adults alike that one day we will be reunited with all the pets we have loved!