PLAIN AND SIMPLE

A couple of dog friends we love.

Sometimes the smallest thing catches our eye or our ear and can turn a whole day around. Since The Little One was born he has provided most of those moments in my life. Yesterday, though, the honor belong to someone else. Make that two "someones".

It all started as I drove slowly down a snow-covered side street on my way to work. It was still early in the morning and I was cold, tired and a little bit crabby about the snow. Just as I was about to give in and let the crabbiness overtake me I saw something in the distance that changed that. Just ahead of my car an older man shuffled in the snow. His hands were in his coat pocket, but it was clear that he was holding a leash in one hand. Connected to that leash was a pint-size dog with short little legs and a belly that just missed the inch of snow on the ground below him.

I'm on the road often during my workday and have seen my fair share of interesting sights. Seeing a dog out for a walk with it's owner is not particularly unusual. Today though, the sight looked extra adorable and funny all in one. The man's slow, cautious steps and the little dog's rapid ones on his tiny legs kept them in pace together. They were the perfect pair, plain and simple. Neither was really in a hurry. Neither was stressed about the snow below their feet. They both seemed unaware of everything else going on around them.

That was it. Nothing else happened. I just watched them make their way up the road and pass my car. Seeing them left me feeling very content though. I thought of how much that owner must love his dog to go out in that kind of weather when clearly he could have walked him up and down his own yard a few times to give him the exercise he needed. I also thought about all the dog's I've loved over my lifetime. None belonged to me, but I loved them just the same. Snow and cold don't stop that kind of friendship.