Marley and Me

Mommy just finished this book last night. I won't lie and say that tears weren't coming at the end as Marley began his sad decline as all animals do at the end. As a whole the book was touching and personal but really the story was a memoir about the Grogan family as well as Marley. It was watching the journey of 2 newlyweds as they changed from young adults into parenthood with Marley along for the ride. In many ways this book reminded me of my husband and I and I think that was part of the appeal of the book. When Jenny suffered her miscarriage and Marley was there it made me think of Ellie. Ellie and Aidan must of thought something was wrong with Mommy as she was hugging them almost through the end of the book. I also did see at the end where John writes his thanks that he mentioned Jon Katz as one of his inspirations for this book. Jon Katz is also one of my favorite animal writers and I read his column in the Slate about life on his farm as well as a few of his books including, A Dog Year 12 Months, 4 Dogs, and Me, A Good Dog, and The Dogs of Beldam Farm. Jon's books focus mostly on his border collies and his one book A Good Dog focuses on his border collie version of Marley named Orson. Having enjoyed Jon Katz's stories I can see the similarities of John Grogan's as well.

In the end the book tells us a few things one I feel is that unconditional love is given to us by animals in a way that's unlike humans. Their unconditional love is simply that unconditional. No matter what we do to them and how bad we can treat them at the end of they day they are right there by your side with sloppy kisses and a shoulder to lean on. The other thing I thought was how sad that the lifetime of these animals are never long enough for the hearts they find their way into. The tragedy of having a pet is knowing that in time their age will outstrip yours and slowly you have to watch your best friend slip into the darkness. Though Aidan and Ellie are still quite young I know in time that will happen to them as well as their cat brothers and I am sure part of my heart will go with them when that happens. You can't beleive sometime I guess how much you have grown to love them, like they were your children your family.