I Sing the Body Electric ~ The Passing of Petey

This moment I want to tell about, was so amazing and so spectacular to my soul, I must share it. There is no point or moral to the story. This is just a sharing of an experience so profound I really struggle to find the words to express it. So, if this isn't your cup of tea, I get it. It's very personal about me and to me. I have to overshare to get you to my place with it, so I'm setting aside my concerns about being judged and am just going for it.

I don't know what they teach in school anymore. I'm just about 69 years old at the time of this post, and I suppose I should be retired. But who can afford that? I sure can't. "I Sing The Body Electric" was required reading in high school when I grew up (early 70's) -- the version which was a short sci-fi story by Ray Bradbury.¹ Do they still require it? Are you familiar with it? That title has stuck in my head for decades. I'm not sure why. It gives me such a strong visual and feeling.

Over the years, as my readings and research into spirituality have evolved, I am of the belief that we live in an electromagnetic universe. I pay more attention to the energy and electricity within my own body. I have read deeply into esoteric philosophies and history. I've been reading NDE reports for many years. 

I say this to lay the background for my exceptional experience with Petey's passing. Petey was a baby born at my rescue. His mom and several others were brought to me by an animal control officer from the Tri-City Animal Shelter in Fremont, CA. The Tri-City shelter is a fairly small facility and not really equipped to handle exotic pets for very long. I'd helped them out in the past. They had a small group of guinea pigs that came in. Unfortunately, there was male mixed in with females. You see, even the animal professionals don't always get guinea pig sexing right, so it's important to always double-check what you've been told by anybody about gender (vets included). 

One of the females was pregnant. Very pregnant, it turns out. She had a litter of 7. My oh my. Petey was born October 16, 2016. All the other guinea pigs in that group were adopted out to good homes.

Petey was neutered to pair him up with a female. He had developed a significant tumor underneath his front arm, which of course had to be removed. Between the neuter surgery and the tumor surgery, he was understandably pretty shy of human interaction. His girlfriend passed away about year prior to him. At this point, I was winding down doing physical rescue after 25 years. I needed a break. So, Petey and I spent more time together. I moved him from the 'piggie room' to dining room. His age was starting to take a toll and we spent a lot more time together. He wasn't moving around as much anymore. 

He was almost 8 years old when he just finally needed to give up. He was in his habitat one evening, but had come out of his hidey and seemed to be in an unusual position. He had that look, that you know if you've been around dying animals before. As I reached in to check on him, he was cool to the touch, but still alive. I picked him up and took him to the livingroom with me. I had him on my lap for warmth and comfort. I know sometimes animals want to be off on their own and die in private, so I tried to offer a light, but loving touch, being respectful as they can't really talk to us at that point. I knew it was matters of hours. And it was. 

It's really a heartbreaking few minutes at the end. This was probably maybe the 6th time or so, I've been through this up close and personal over the years. 

Here is the part that was profound. As he was in those final moments and my hand was barely touching and resting very gently on his rump and upper body, I felt a very strong energy -- kind of electrical, it's hard to describe, but a very noticeable energy seemed to be changing, rumbling through and coalescing in his body. Kind of like a big feeling of indigestion, but not, but moving. It went on for a minute or two. The feeling of it was intense. Then, it seemed to ball up inside the middle back area of his body, and just like that, it faded away. I knew he was gone then. I felt so very blessed to have had and shared that experience with him. Writing about it still brings tears to my eyes.

I am 100% confident that when it's my time, I'll get to visit with Petey again when I cross over. No doubt in my mind.

And I confess that a long time ago, when I read the special story about the Rainbow Bridge for rescuers, well before I started reading NDEs, I was so moved by this vision, that I think it went a long way towards motivating me to start doing rescue in the first place. I'm such a sap.

¹ Interesting that "I Sing the Body Electric" by Ray Bradbury is about AI and robotics and what it means to be human. It's a heartwarming sci-fi short story about a grieving family who purchases a customized "electric grandmother" (an android) to care for their children after their mother dies. While the boys accept her, the young daughter, Agatha, rejects her until the android saves her life, proving her capacity for love and permanence.