Tonight I was watching a movie called Marley & Me. The films an excellent glimpse into what life can be like, for anyone who hasn’t bee living with their head so far up their arse to notice 8=) It’s about a couple of newly weds, who trade the winter for a warmer location in Ft. Lauderdale, south Florida. In order to stave off his wife’s plans for a family for a few years, journalist John Grogan springs an early birthday present on his wife Jenny: they adapt a yellow Labrador Retriever, the clearance puppy. While successful in his intentions, Johns plan backfires when young Marley proves to be one of the worlds most hyper destructive dogs, yet too much of a lovable lug to just get rid of anytime soon. The movie charts a course that I would call “A slice of paradise” with all of it’s pitfalls to go along with it. Marley & Me follows the lives of the Grogan family, and dear but incorrigible Marley, If you love dogs, you’ll love Marley, if the exact opposite is true, well you’ll be relieved not to be in such deep doggy waters >_>. I love animals, always have and likely always will; having dogs, I can also be sympathetic to the whole ruckus caused by Marley. Hmm, for some reason I can’t help but remember a dog named Milo, that I used to help look after years ago as part of this business; he too failed obedience school (horribly lol).
For me, I would say it is fair to say that I feel a bit of a personal connection with this film. Fort Lauderdale is the city that I grew up in as a child, so Broward county is a name I’d know anywhere, and the news paper in South Florida, is also one that my parents used to deliver for… it’s a small world, isn’t it? Even closer to home then that, their first sons name, Patrick was also the name of one of my elder brothers: most people that know me fairly well, also know that I have an older brother but there’s more to my families history then that. In short, my brothers Reese and Patrick were twins, but only Reese survived. My father also had a son, long before I was born, but Jeffery never quite made it into this world :'(. Whatever the afterlife holds, one thing that I have always hoped, is that someday I’ll see us all together in heaven.
As everything must someday, life on earth eventually comes to an end, and Marley is no exception to that rule. Years role on, and take their toll: Marley grows old, as we all will some day. The ending is very sad, but I would have to say that he had a very good life, and it was one full of much chewing too ;). I think that perhaps, this line from the film sums up best what it’s like to have someone like that in your life:
John Grogan:
A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn’t care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he’ll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?
If anyone can watch Marley & Me, and take the ending without drawing a tear along the way: I truly feel sorry for any animals in that persons care.
We all have people in our lives, animals as well, that are such an integral part of our life, of every thing that makes it worth living. You can’t hope for more then that.