Animals are People, too!

Last Sunday I published my annual lamentation about Mothers Day, noting that I had started the day by going to the movies.

Several readers asked, “What did you see?” and I’m happy to say that I spent a couple of hours in an empty theater giving my imagination over to a flock of talking sheep.

“The Sheep Detectives” is based on a book that I happen to have recently read — thanks to friend/subscriber Laura Larson, who recommended that I read“Three Bags Full,” a best-selling novel by German author Leonie Swan. ‘

“Its about a flock of Irish sheep who solve a murder,” Laura told me,

SOLD.

I LOVE EWE CRIME STORIES.

The Sheep Detectives belongs to a delightful small genre of stories expertly narrated by animals.

(I can think of Charlotte’s Web and Babe — and also another movie now streaming on Netflix: Remarkably Bright Creatures.)

Both of these recent films are lovely. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a quiet film where an octopus provides the wisdom the human characters lack. It has a sort of Nicholas Sparks twist that will appeal to you only if you’re in the right frame of mind.

And Sally Field. What can I say? Field plays a cantankerous cleaning lady very much in need of healing. In my opinion this actor has very much grown into national treasure status, and I’m sure I’m not alone.

It’s a pretty silly notion that the animals surrounding us are genius philosophers who hold the key to understanding this world in a way that humans can’t.

(I for one have spent a lot of time around sheep and as fond as I am of them, I assure you — your basic sheep could not solve its way out of a paper bag.)

But. It occurs to me that humans these days more or less suck, and so yes — if an octopus can use its legendary intelligence to make me feel OK about life, and if a flock of sheep can demonstrate the kind of emotional growth that no human I know is capable of — then I’m fine with that.

** Molly and I hope you all have a lovely week, full of warmth and wisdom.

Love,

Amy

** PS: If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this rather brief missive, please do me a solid and signify by shooting me a “heart” and/or comment (what animal narrating movies did I miss…?).