When the weather cooperates, on Saturday mornings we go for a long walk, stop for coffee and donuts, then let A.J. run loose in the park. It’s always an enjoyable way to start the weekend.

In the two years we’ve lived here and been engaging in this Saturday ritual, we’ve come to know some of the other dogs and their owners who regularly visit the park. Today a woman we see and speak to often arrived while we were there. As usual, A.J. was running around frantically searching for squirrels. This woman spotted us and came over to visit.

She’s an older woman who needs the aid of a walker to make her way around the park, but she brings her adorable little dog there regularly. While I sat and gave her dog a scratch under the chin, she proceeded to tell us about the start of her weekend. And it wasn’t going well.

She had managed to bump into another car while backing out of her driveway. Her grandson, who she is very proud of and says is very smart, had failed the test to get his driver’s license. She’d been having political disagreements with her family. The minor incident with the car had happened that very morning as she was leaving to come to the dog park.

As she was telling us all of this, she looked over at A.J., still as busy as ever with his squirrel hunt. She said “I’m so glad A.J. is here. It makes me happy to watch him running around. He’s so focused and determined!”

From airports to daycare to dog parks and just about everywhere we go, A.J. brings happiness along with him.