Howdy Piggly-Wigglies!

A strange thing happened to me today and I'm here to tell you about it while I can still remember everything.....

Truth to tell, it has been a funny day from the start. Mom's been crying off and on all day, she had a nap in my easy chair this afternoon (which she almost never does) with her feet tucked under my belly and a blankie over both of us, she hasn't done any of her work ... she just sits staring off into space. I saw her going through a very big book looking at pictures and computer messages and cards and she was crying again. I was starting to get worried and I curled up near where she was sitting and drifted off to sleep.

I no sooner closed my eyes than I saw this HUGE black pig with a white blazed diamond on his face come up to me. I was scared at first till he said, "Hi, little one.... don't be frightened.... my name is Snortimer and I've come to tell you a story."

He told me that for as many years as there are hairs on a buffalo our race of pigs has been raised as food for hungry people. He said we are lucky to be some of the first pigs in history to be bred just to be companions to our human families. He told me that he was one of the first pot bellied pigs to be adopted into a human family and that he had a wonderful life. He was kept warm and dry and very very well fed and he had everything a pig could want. He said his human Mom adored him and took great delight in his presence in her life. Then one day he had a visit from the great pig in heaven and he told Snortimer that there was a pig just born not long before that needed to be saved from an awful future and he asked Snortimer if he would be kind and wait for his human family at the Rainbow Bridge because it was now another pig's turn at the good life.

He went on to say, "Well, Binki, one year ago today I lay in my room for the last time, and I looked around me and I said, 'Yes, life has been good, more than I could ever have expected or hoped for," and I said good-bye to my Mom, whose heart was breaking in grief."

"Binki that was in this very room, one year ago today, and you are that lucky pig that needed my Mom so much. I was assigned the very special task of watching over you and Mom while you're on the earth and you can find me most days perched over Mom's right shoulder... I know you've sensed me there."

Snortimer told me when Mom cries to put my snootie softly on her and give her a love for him. He told me to be extra nice to Dad cause he never got to be good friends with him and he wished he had. He told me if I need a friend why just look over by Mom and there he'll be! He told me to watch over Mom, too, and the silly dog Dax and I thanked him for agreeing to be our guardian pigangel and for giving up his turn on earth for me. I woke up a little later and Mom had fallen asleep again, maybe to dream of her lost friend, Snortimer, dancing in flower meadows with his gossamer wings glinting in the sparkling sunshine.

love to you all,

Binki

© Margaret Timms 1997