I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’m still thinking about “Gates of Heaven†and still trying to figure it out. That movie really was something else. There is something about this movie that troubles me. I think a small part of me feels pity for the Harbert family. I’m curious if they had any idea what they were getting into when they agreed to make this film. I doubt that they did. I suppose what’s bothersome to me is, are they really any creepier or crazier than anybody else? Sure, they own a pet cemetery (which is not the norm) but don’t we all do things other people would find bizarre to some extent? I don’t know, maybe, maybe not.
I suppose to some extent I’ve put myself in the Harbert’s shoes (the shoes where they were put into a documentary and rambled on about their philosophies, not the burying dead pet shoes). If I were asked to be in a documentary about UMW and then after watching the final product saw that people were analyzing how irrational and strange I was would be upsetting.
Alright, I’m done feeling sorry for the Harberts. I will preface my next thoughts by saying that I really do like animals. I truly think dogs and cats are adorable. However, I cannot relate to the attachment people have to their pets. I do not under any circumstances equate humans to animals. As cute as a dog or cat is, they are not as intelligent as humans nor do I think their lives are as important as a human’s. It was really strange and intriguing for me to watch “Gates of Heaven†and see people talk about their lost pets. I mean, it is mind boggling for me to even think about people spending the money to have a pet buried in a cemetery. Wow.
