The Rainbow Bridge
“The love of a dog never truly leaves this world—it runs free across the stars, waiting for us beyond the Rainbow Bridge.”
A Tribute to Balto’s Eternal Spirit
Our pets are eternal teachers of love, guiding us to see that the bond between souls never ends.
As I reflect on the past month, I am overwhelmed with emotion — love, appreciation, and, most profoundly, a renewed spiritual perspective. Life is such a beautiful, brief, and fragile journey — a sacred experience in physical form meant to be cherished in every present moment. This is what my dogs have taught me.
Today marks one month since we said goodbye to our beloved Balto. The outpouring of love and support from friends, clients, and strangers has been nothing short of astounding. It reminded me of a truth we too easily forget: we are all connected — bound by our shared humanity and the love we express within it.
I’ve received hundreds of heartfelt messages from people who understand the pain of losing a pet. That kind of loss feels different than losing a human loved one, yet the depth of grief can be just as powerful. It’s a reminder of something unifying and pure — our love for our animals. They transcend politics, beliefs, and divisions. They bring us back to the golden rule: live with empathy.
For those who didn’t know Balto — or rather, don’t know him, because he still exists, only in Spirit — he was a stunning Alaskan Malamute: strong, willful, independent, and playful… with just the right touch of mischief.
Balto was the most social and friendly soul I’ve ever known. He adored meeting people and dogs alike — his joy was contagious. He lived freely, fully, and in the moment. In the first days after his passing, life felt hollow, quiet, and still — like the world had lost its pulse. It was the absence of his energy we were feeling.
He wasn’t just a dog to Pat and me — he was family. One of our pack. Somewhere along the way, he became more human, and we became more like him. Those lines blurred long ago. But one thing is certain: Balto was far more than flesh and fur — he was, and is, a profoundly spiritual being. His vessel just happened to be that of a dog.
The Day We Said Goodbye
The day we said goodbye to Balto, I asked my mom in Spirit to help with the transition and be there with us. The vet led us into a small, dignified room filled with soft lighting, pillows, and blankets. We held Balto close, telling him how deeply we loved him as we said goodbye. In that sacred moment, I felt my mom’s presence in the room. Then I saw it — Balto’s soul gently rise and walk out of his body.
Later that evening, as we sat down for dinner, I heard the familiar sound of his paws near the front door. It was a sound I knew by heart — the strong thud of his paws and the scrape of his nails as he stood up. It was undeniable. I knew in that moment that he was with us. That’s when I realized: the moment we left the vet and Pat opened the back door of his truck, he wasn’t just honoring Balto’s spirit — he was inviting him home. And he came home with us that day.
That was just the beginning of the signs that would follow…
The Blue Jay Sign
Then, just two days after his passing — when the grief felt unbearable —something happened. That afternoon, while we were in the kitchen talking about him — reminiscing and shedding tears — a blue jay landed on the deck railing right outside the window. We rarely see blue jays come that close to the house. It perched there for a long moment, watching us. Pat looked at me and said softly, “Oh my God… it’s Balto. He’s sending the bird to us.”
We both felt it — a quiet knowing.
That evening, as we sat on the deck watching the sun set over the rolling hills — Balto’s favorite view — we talked about the stillness he loved so much. The breeze moved gently through the oak trees, and we could feel him there with us. Then, suddenly, out of the twilight sky, a blue jay swooped from one oak to another, calling out loudly. It was unusual — blue jays don’t typically sing at night.
It was him again. We knew it. The same vibrant, mischievous energy. He was letting us know that he was okay. More than okay — he was free.
That night, I cried harder than I had the day it happened. Not from despair, but from awe — from the recognition that we had glimpsed the other side for just a moment. The realm of Spirit.
In that instant, I felt a rupture in my heart — a flood of visuals, emotions, and energy unlike anything I had ever experienced in this lifetime. It was as though the entire Universe, and every ounce of love within it, rushed through me all at once. What I felt was love in its purest, most unfiltered form — expansive, boundless, divine. It filled me with a gratitude so profound that words could never capture it. In that sacred moment, I understood: this encounter was written into my soul contract — a full-circle awakening to the infinite bond of love that connects us all.
That experience changed me.
It softened the edges of my grief and reminded me that even in our deepest sorrow, Spirit finds a way to reach us — through beauty, synchronicity, and moments that transcend explanation.
The Signs Continue
Since then, the signs have continued — gentle reminders that love never dies.
A few days later, while deciding whether to watch a recorded or live episode of Jeopardy!, our DVR mysteriously lost sound. So we switched to the live broadcast — and within minutes, heard Ken Jennings read:
“The title subject of this 1995 film — this dog helped his team deliver medicine to Nome, Alaska, in 1925, halting an epidemic.”
“What’s Balto?”
And then, off camera, we heard Ken say, “Give it up for Balto.”
We both froze. There it was — again. Another sign. Another reminder out of the blue that he was with us.
Not long after, I was driving to the office and saw a car ahead with a license plate that simply read BALTO. No numbers. No extras. Just his name.
The synchronicities became undeniable.
I’ve spoken and written about signs from Spirit for years — including those from our pets — but this time, the lesson was deeply personal. This time, I was experiencing what my clients experience when they’re grieving the loss of someone dear to them. Not since my mom’s passing had I felt grief this deep.
Interestingly, I was given a glimpse into those magical moments of validation that send chills from head to toe — the same sensations my clients often describe when Spirit connects through me. The roles were reversed, and I was now on the other side of that veil. It was truly healing for me to experience Spirit’s communication firsthand in this way. Balto knew what I needed, and he gave it to me — signs that turned unbearable pain into comfort, and despair into gratitude.
What a gift.
These signs are not coincidence. They’re the language of love, translated through energy. They find us when we least expect them — when our hearts are open and when we’re present enough to notice.
Moments That Remind Us He’s Still Here
Since Balto’s passing, we’ve received many beautiful signs — some subtle, others impossible to miss. These moments remind us that love and Spirit are always near, guiding us and lighting our way home.
A sign from above — his name appearing just when we needed it most.
The night the Universe spoke through the TV — a Jeopardy! clue honoring the heroic dog who shares our Balto’s name. Another undeniable sign from Spirit that love never leaves us.
Balto loved watching the world from our deck — his quiet sanctuary overlooking the trees.
Balto resting peacefully in the yard — his favorite place to feel the breeze and watch over his home.
The day it all began — Balto’s adoption in 2018. A moment that changed our lives forever.
Final Reflections
Our pets are not accidental relationships. They are soul companions — teachers and guides who incarnate to remind us what unconditional love looks like in its purest form. They are spiritual gifts, embodiments of compassion, loyalty, and empathy.
Even though the ache of loss remains, so does the love — stronger now, unbound by form. Balto continues to guide us from the other side of the veil, reminding us that love transcends every boundary of time, space, and species. When the wind stirs the trees, when a blue jay appears, or when synchronicity finds us in unexpected ways, we know it’s him — reminding us to live fully, love deeply, and cherish every sacred moment we’re given.
Forever loved. Forever guided. Until we meet again.
