A Man’s Best Friend


“Just as in life, I was figuring out, the destination was less important than the journey.” Marley and Me is a story of love, friendship, and growth. In the beginning, John Grogan narrates, telling about his newlywed Jenny Grogan and their new life together in Florida. They wanted to start a family, but decided to “practice” first by adopting a little labrador puppy: Marley, a lovable, crazy dog. Marley was unmanageable, destructive, and ate everything in sight. He may be the only dog ever to be thrown out of doggy obedience school. He was wild and amusing, bringing a smile to my face with every new episode - like dragging their dinner table across the restaurant or belly flopping in their backyard pool. But, in the end, he was a huge impact on John and Jenny’s life - a goofy ball of fur that was there for them through everything. Throughout the story, John and Jenny have three kids and move three different times. They grow and change as a family, with Marley by their side through everything.
I once had a dog very similar to Marley, so I can really relate to what Jogn was going through. My dog, a golden retriever, was just as wild and catastrophic as the yellow lab in the book. When he died a few years ago, it was extremely hard. He was my best friend, always loyal, and taught me so much about life and love - Same as Marley taught John and their family. I cried as I read the page where they put Marley to sleep, remembering when I had to put my dog to sleep. John and I had both said the same thing - “There was something I never told him, that no on eever had. I wanted hin to hear it before he went, ‘Marley, you are a great dog.’” Even when they’re gone, dogs like Marley will forever stay in the heart, filling it with memories of the good times and the bad. Even if you’re not a dog person, this is an unforgettable story. It teaches you to appreciate everything in life. Although Marley may have been the “World’s Worst Behaved Dog,” he knew how to enjoy the simple joys in life and live it to the fullest. I believe that we all have something to learn from this loopy, uncontrollable dog called Marley.