As the dog looks back, she sees life as it was before she got to the bridge.
Memories.

Pet lovers embrace the concept of “The Rainbow Bridge” where person and pet will reunite in the next world.  The story has evolved that when the pet dies, she moves to a lush meadow. There, her body fully restored, she romps and plays with other animals. And, she awaits reunification with her person from the previous life.  Once reconnected, the legend goes, they both walk over the Rainbow Bridge into heaven.

As I read the Rainbow Bridge poem, I envisioned a dog (or another animal) patiently waiting for the much anticipated reunion with the person so dear and still so near in her heart.  She waits, looking from the Rainbow Bridge back toward another life.  (See the video at the end of this post.)

As my mind (and creativity) played with the image, a metaphor develop.  The view from the bridge, perhaps, is our eulogy, our legacy.  What we accomplished, for example, for and with our canine companion, and beyond.  As the dog looks back, she sees life as it was before she got to the bridge.  Memories.

With the end of the year just ahead of us, we think of 2020—what’s over the New Year’s bridge. And, we look back at 2019. What is the legacy we have continued to build? How do we want to add to that legacy as we move into the next decade?

A few years ago, I wrote a eulogy for our previous canine, Buddy.   I titled it “A Life Well-Lived.”

As you look back to the previous year, what did you do that qualifies as a life well-lived? What top three things stand out?

In what ways can you continue to create a life well-lived in 2020?

Video Recommendation for the week.

Enjoy this moving tribute to the Rainbow Bridge.

Stay tuned for my new book to be released in early 2020:
Roxie Looks for Purpose Beyond the Biscuit.
Well, actually, my dog Roxie gets top billing on the author page for this work. Without her, there would be no story. In the meantime, check out her blog.

And you can still order:

• My latest book, Community as a Safe Place to Land (2019), (print and e-book) is available on  More information (including seven free podcast episodes that spotlight the seven core values highlighted in the book) at www.stevepiscitelli.com.
• Check out my book Stories about Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island (2017). It has been adopted for teaching, learning, and coaching purposes.  I conducted (September 2019) a half-day workshop for a community college’s new faculty onboarding program using the scenarios in this book. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same.  The accompanying videos would serve to stimulate community-building conversations at the beginning of a meeting.

My podcasts can be found at The Growth and Resilience Network®.

You will find more about what I do at www.stevepiscitelli.com.

©2019. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®