Ok…so incase you haven’t noticed I love labs. You could even say that I treat them like my children. While I understand that they are a canine and not human, it is true that I give them love and attention much like a child. I grew up with a wonderful yellow lab named K.D in my house who is one of the sweetest labs ever. Right after my knee reconstruction in 2006 Dave and I were given Oso and now we have our sweet baby Bella. Yellow Labs have always been apart of my life. To me, my labs have not just been pets to me, they have been my companions and best friends.
A few weekends ago Dave and I broke down and finally watched the movie “Marley and Me.” I say “broke down” because we were originally boycotting the movie because we knew how emotional it would be for us. We decided to watch it in the confines of our own home so that we could bawl hysterically in the comfort of each other’s arms. It was a wonderful movie with many touching moments that reminded me of my own experiences with my labs. By the end of the movie I was sobbing uncontrollably because the movie touched me so deeply.
At the end of the movie there is a quote from John Grogan (writer of the book and owner of Marley). His quote describes why he loves labs/dogs and to be honest I couldn’t have said it better myself. His thought is so deep yet so simple all at the same time. When I heard it for the first time I felt like I could relate so much to his feelings. Here is the quote:
"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. As I wrote that farewell column to Marley, I realized it was all right there in front of us, if only we opened our eyes. Sometimes it took a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see."
— John Grogan
Here is another wonderful quote about Marley from John:
"A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty."
— John Grogan
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