A Dog's Purpose: A Review.

I had been wanting to see A Dog's Purpose since I first saw the trailer before Christmas. I have not read the book, because I have a hard time reading sad animal books. The movies are easier because I can just sit and cry if I need to. Reading is hard when you're crying, which is why I have yet to get past page one of The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Anyway, I decided today that I would see A Dog's Purpose. The theatre had more people in it than I usually have in the movies I've gone to here in town, and I was surprised by the number of children, considering this was a movie with a dog that dies over and over.

There are no spoilers, this detailed description is in the first five minutes, so that doesn't count as spoilers.

So, the film starts with a puppy being born. Cute, right? Until it gets picked up by animal control and euthanized (you don't actually see that part). Then his spirit goes into a puppy at a puppy mill. The puppy is overlooked, but escapes and is picked up by two guys that decide to sell it. They take him, but leave him in their truck where he starts to die of heat stroke. This is where the main character finds him, and his heroic mother opens breaks the window and they take him home, NOT THE VET, and lay him on the ground until he comes around. At this point I'm not loving the movie, to be honest.

After this, the movie improves greatly. It alternates between heartwarming, heartbreaking, and laugh out loud funny. Each different version of the dog's life is touching, but sad at times, because not all of his lives are as happy as his life with his boy was. I cried each time he died, which was four times in total. The ending was not a surprise, because the trailer gave it away, but it was touching how it happened.

While it was a decent film, and poignant, it's not one that I will ever feel the need to watch again, most likely. I would probably recommend it animal lovers. I overheard several little girls say how much they liked it when it was over as they were leaving the theatre, which surprised me a little as it was a slow mosey of a drama, and not what I would imagine kids would enjoy. 

 

Twenty One.

My daughter turned 21 on February 1st.

We Skyped the weekend before, and we Facebook messaged on the day of. We have a Skype date in a few weeks. But it's not the same. Due to our circumstances we'll always be apart. Even if money were no issue, we will never be able to be in the same country for more than six months at a time. It's a heartbreaking fact, as one never knows the future, or how long we'll have together.

Today was a pretty crappy day. There was no one specific thing, just a bunch of little things that added up to a crappy day. By the time I got home from work I was ready for a beer (or three). I changed into jammies and drank my dinner while writing it all out for Briony to read when she got up. The act of writing out what happened today and how I feel made me feel better. Knowing that she will get it and support me no matter what helps. The amazing thing about my relationship with my daughter is that she is my best friend.

We struggled over the years.
I started as a stranger that moved into her house and made a bunch of rules, but enriched her life.
We moved to Virginia and I fully became head of the household, but there were growing pains.
She moved to Wyoming and we had an amazing long distance relationship with twice a year visits.
I moved to Wyoming and we became roommates and we struggled. 90% of the time we were great, but teenagers are not easy, and we teetered on the edge of good and bad for a while.
She moved away and I thought she might be lost forever, but things weren't really easier away from me, and we became close again.
Over the last three years that she's been gone, we've gone from mother and daughter to best friend and confidant. We've shared some of the most intimate details of our lives. We've shared our feelings and our dreams. We really can (and do) tell each other everything, and I am so grateful for that relationship.

Even though we'll never be able to live in the same town (or country), we don't need to. We are family and distance doesn't change that. I have been so blessed to have become her (and Cale's) mom. I am a better person for this different kind of love that I have been lucky enough to experience.

Happy Birthday, again, my dear daughter. I hope that this year is your best yet, and each one after is subsequently better. I love you.