There is always enough love.

Years ago, when I was trying to lose some weight with my usual success, a friend made a suggestion. He said that I should get a dog. It wouldn’t matter whether or not I wanted to go out, rain or shine, the dog needs to walk. That would mean that I would get my much-needed exercise.

I didn’t get a dog but I kept the memory. This morning in the park, the one that I don’t write about anymore, that memory came flooding back.

It’s cold out at six in the morning. Today, weather.com told me that when I left the house, it was 31 degrees out. This means that I have the park pretty much to myself. I seem to be the only walker either brave or stupid enough, take your pick, to be out there that time of the day. Of course, there are the crazy runners, all bundled up except for their running shorts; they never seem to give up.

And of course, there are the dog owners. My friend was right, no matter how cold or how wet when a dog has got to go a dog has got to go. So at least I have some companionship in the mornings.

Today I saw a young girl that seemed to have it all knocked. She was heavily bundled for the cold and so was her dog. She was walking a dog, which was not too big or not too small just about knee-high. The dog was bundled in a bright orange sweater. The dog seemed to be proud of its outfit, as it was strutting its stuff. In any case, it looked warm.

This leads me to a question. How do you train a dog to get into such an outfit? All the dogs I had as a child would have had a fit had I tried to put something resembling a sweater on them. And this sweater was complete, including sleeves that went over each leg. How did she do that?

I suppose that you have to start when the dog was just a puppy, but even so, I can’t imagine that each morning doesn’t start with a major struggle in her household.

All I can think is that his woman’s heart must be filled with love. My sister used to say that there is always enough love to go around. I think this must be a great example of what she meant.

Obliviously this woman loved her dog so much that she was willing to go to war to see that her baby was warm for their morning constitutional. No matter how you slice it, that’s real love.

As they walked away I thought, “That is what I need.” A woman whose love is that big. Someone whose heart is big enough to embrace whatever is needed to make her mate safe and warm.

Or course, I don’t need the bright orange sweater.