So yesterday after dinner my husband and I decided to watch On Demand free movies. Having had enough of action movies for a while, we chose something different. Together we were intrigued by the dog on the trailer cover of the movie “Marley & Me”. (Note: *Spoiler alert up ahead)
The Plot
This movie is the story of a young married couple who happen to be writers that decide to take their relationship to the next level and adopt a dog. Essentially adopting a dog is a test run before having babies. They adopt an adorable Labrador and name him Marley. As adorable as Marley is he is also a terror around the house; eating everything in sight, uncontrollable most times in public but has a huge heart.
The couple does eventually have kids and they expand their family. All the while the husband documents and writes about his daily adventures with Marley and his wife and kids. By the end of the movie Marley suffers health issues and eventually needs to be put to sleep.
What the husband and wife realize by the end is that their family didn’t begin with having kids but rather started the minute they brought Marley into their lives. As much chaos and craziness, they had to deal with in the house due to Marley’s energy, the love and memories they all shared together were immeasurable.
Watching Marley and Me I’d definitely give it 4 paws up. It’s a great film. However, I hated that I was a blubbering mess by the end of the flick, which brings me back to the point of this post.
Two steps forward, three steps back
Watching Marley be put to sleep in the movie brought back memories about taking my cat Dusty to the vet for the last time. After two years since her passing and feeling like I finally was on a path to feeling more normal again, I reverted back to that time in my head. Being in the office saying my final goodbyes as to ensure she’ d no longer suffer a minute more than she needed to was the most heart wrenching thing to do in my life. But I knew it was the right thing. I knew time was up.
After many months, volunteering, blogging and having support from others I got to a place of no tears, finding joy and laughter again and then this happens. I feel like I took two steps forward and three steps back. I say all this as a lesson from my experience to other grieving pet parents that grief is ongoing. There is no end point, just waves of emotions. I wrote another post called I Still Cry a while back talking about this phenomenon.
Life lessons
Just be rest assured this is normal. I guess although I want to beat myself up for the tears I really shouldn’t. Life happens and the memories and emotions overcome me at times. Above everything else if I had to do it all again I would in a second. The LOVE and value Dusty and Precious have brought to my life has been invaluable. I wrote a special post about the life lessons I learned from having my pets called 10 life lessons my cats taught me. I really do think our pets are not only the definition of true unconditional love; they are God’s little angels walking on Earth with paws.
Despite their nuances and particular traits, pet exemplify what it means to love others unconditionally and whole heartedly. We as human beings can take a lesson from them and try to follow such an example. Imagine what type of world it could be if we practiced the type of love, loyalty and good-heartedness our pets show us?
Comment and share below. What is the greatest lesson your pet has taught you living day-to-day?