Years ago, I started writing a little story about a fictional realm where dogs ran the world. It was called The Puppy Chronicles.

It came out of the real-life story of my first sheltie (Lady Lindsey Boomerang)’s reaction to me getting a puppy (Raven Blue Blazes of Xanadu).

Lindsey was literally indignant that I got a puppy. I did it because Lindsey was getting older and I had heard puppies helped rejuvenate older dogs.

Lindsey was not amused.

So, I started writing this story about “The Sheltiese Empire” (like Sheltie and Chinese combined) and the Empress who had to deal with a young usurper who had been picked to be the heir to the crown.

There were allies like the Golden Retriever Republic and foes like The Siamese Soviet Union.

Honesty, it was my mother’s favorite thing I ever wrote. She was constantly on me to create children’s books about it.

Over the years, it turned into a tradition.

When Lindsey passed, I wrote a fictional UPI Wire story about how the Empress had passed over and Princess Raven had ascended to the throne as Empress.

In my world, the Sheltiese Empire was a matriarchal society, so when Raven passed and Prince Jace of the Whirling Dervish became the first ever Emperor, it was meant to be quite the news story.

On Saturday, July 31st, Emperor Jace of the Whirling Dervish passed away.

So when I sat down to write that obit, I couldn’t.

I simply do not have it in me. My world is broken. I am shattered.

As deserving (and adored) as Princess Riley Grace of Pitterpattadonia is, I can’t write that story.

I have a membership thing called the Magical Membership Group. That’s not an advertisement. I’m just giving you context. In that group we spend a month with an archangel.

For August, it’s Archangel Sandalphon, the archangel of prayer. It is traditional that when you find yourself in the depths of sorrow, you call upon Archangel Azrael. I get that. He is the most graceful of all the archangels. But I was in the depth of working with Sandalphon when Jace passed.

Metaphorically, I was already deep in his arms. So when I fell into despair, Sandalphon was already there. I felt Azrael in the background, but I also felt that he was standing back… knowing that his brother Sandalphon was already on task.

I have said many times before that I think that people love the archangels because they have specialties that make it easy to know who to call upon.

But I have also said that if you ask Michael (the archangel of safety and protection) to help you to heal your health (rather than Archangel Raphael the angel of healings) Michael will still come to your aid.

I had this theory proven out when I fell into the arms of Sandalphon (the archangel of prayer) when most go to Azrael to help us heal our sorrow.

It is going to take some time for me to recover.

I apologize in advance if I am not the Rad that you are used to… because I have lost what I consider to be my child.

My main point is here is that you do not have to follow any kind of particular path to get help in your time of need.

The Divine is unlimited. You are loved beyond measure and there is simply nothing the Divine will not do for you.

The angels are extensions of the Divine.

There is nothing they will not do for you. You don’t have to have the heavenly rolodex memorized to get help.

You don’t even have to know the angels’ names. You can just reach out blindly and you will be tended to.

I don’t have it in me to write my usual story, but something does have to be said.

Something that deserves to be said.

“All Hail Empress Riley Grace of Pitterpatadonia. Long may she reign.”

Where you are in sorrow, know that I walk that path with you right now. And I am praying for your healing.

Angel blessings,

~Radleigh