The movie's (wise) message: people do NOT really change
They only get older.
Whatever happy-go-luck people were there in Marvis' time are still the same.
She remained the same regardless of where she went (to the city, back to the town, and back to the city).
And Sandra remained the same star-struck dumbbell she clearly was when younger.
Crisis like Marvis' only make you more of the person, you already were.
It's such crisis that let you discover the real person you always were, inside.
Maybe that's why many people don't like the ending (too close to home).