Man’s Best Friend

Posted on January 9, 2009 by Matt Todd

We took the kids to see Bolt on Sunday evening. I guess it’s becoming a family tradition to go see a movie over the Christmas break. We saw Alvin and the Chipmunks last year. I’m sure there will be another family-friendly flick for us to go to next year, too.

Bolt was decent. Imagine taking the delusional Buzz Lightyear before he came to realize that he really is a toy and putting him on a cross-country journey similar to Homeward Bound. Some of it was a little predictable. But it was still fun.

There was one scene towards the end of the movie that really got to me. When all hope is lost, we see the dedication and love that Bolt has for his Person. I think this was the first Disney animated movie that made me cry since The Fox and the Hound.

It wasn’t really because I was all caught up in the movie. But the scene made me think of Diego. We’ve had our Sheltie since a few months before Aiden was born. Aiden and Diego essentially grew up together. When we brought Aiden home after he was born, Diego slept under his crib. When he’d sit in his little bouncy chair on the middle of the floor. Diego would sit down next to him and Aiden would play with his fur.
They were buddies.

He got lost once when Aiden was about a year old. We were heartbroken because we knew how much that dog meant to our little boy. It was a happy day when he was found not too far away from our house.

Diego’s health hasn’t been very good for quite some time. His joints are deteriorating, which isn’t uncommon for Shelties. While he has been placed on some new meds that have really helped him recently, his health is still deteriorating. We’re pretty sure he won’t be around this time next year. Of course, the kids don’t know this.

When I saw Bolt’s devotion towards Penny in such a dire situation, all of these images of Aiden growing up with Diego flashed before me. And I cried. I did my best to hide my tears because it’s a little embarrassing to admit that you’re crying during a Disney movie.

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Matt Todd

Howdy. I'm Matt. My wife, Christy, and I have four kids and two dogs, I'm passionate about orphan care. I'm a die-hard fan of the Evansville Aces, the Indiana Hoosiers, and Star Wars. I'm trying to live life by the Todd family motto: "It behooves us to live!"