Zusammentreffen im Himmel

Tomorrow will be the one week mark of my having put down the family dog. The dog was not mine. He belonged to Cook, my first tenant/housemate. The dog's name was Lucky (or Lucky II); a replacement dog after Lucky (or Lucky I) had to be put down. So I refer to my relationship to the dog as having inherited him. He used to sit on the back doorstep and I had wondered if he might have thought that Cook would be returning for/to him. Or maybe he just liked to smell the air; picking up scents of other nearby dogs in their respective yards.
I don' t come from culture that believes in heaven and/or hell. It always seemed like a very neat paradigm. I was told that animals were not allowed in these places because the requirement for entrance was the existence of a soul. Presumably, xTians don't believe that animals have a soul. I'm guessing they also don't believe in reincarnation or transmutation.
Since neither Cook nor his dog was a member of my tribe, I have nothing invested in wondering if they are together. I also have a notion that time stands still once earth-bound souls are released from their bodies. So they float in space and in time somewhere between 6' under the earth's surface and that place that is beyond the heavens where the Almighty dwells. I'm guessing the meeting time might be instantaneous. G*d knows how to pair up family members (He doesn't need to consult Ancestry.com). And matching animals with their owners should be a piece of cake.
This is an easy concept for someone who has had a few dogs or cats. But what about the Texas longhorn rancher, or the land-girl with a sheep station in New Zealand? Imagine how many animals would wind up with these folks if humans were indeed matched with animals in the afterlife.
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This evening I cooked Great Northern beans flavored with red cabbage, onion, savory, thyme, paprika, and garlic. The liquid that is drained from the beans is almost as delicious as the beans themselves. About a year ago--before my trip to Costa Rica--I decided to learn how to cook and eat beans for breakfast. I serve them up with rice or--if another grain is around--a substitute such as barley, red winter wheat, rye, farro, or even lentils. Granted, the Costa Ricans are not big on eating variety grains instead of rice, but I at least make the attempt of eating something other than bread/toast.
This morning I had leftover goat biryani that I mixed with vegan pad Thai noodles with tofu. Quite the flavorful fusion.
I mention this because Lucky II used to lick the plates after I was done eating. He was sort of the pre-wash to putting the plates in the dishwasher. It was a bonding ritual that I will no longer have in my life...