Some men want people to believe that they're mean and ornery. My husband is one of them. But those of us who know him know there's a darned soft heart underneath that crust.
Today was a good example.
The day started out sunny and warm, so when he fed Mr. Horse his breakfast, he removed the blanket he's been wearing for the past week.
For some reason (perhaps because he's 20+ years old?), this horse just doesn't grow a heavy winter coat. When the 
thermometer drops near freezing, or wind comes along with a cold rain, he shivers.
My husband has spent the entire summer and fall working on renovations at a duplex our son owns, and today was no different, except for one thing. I joined him there to begin the final cleaning before it goes on the market.
So, this afternoon when the sky turned dark and the wind picked up, neither of us was home. We were both in the middle of doing what we were doing, but my kind-hearted husband stopped and came home.
Why? Because he knew I wanted to make a couple of stops before heading home, and he knew that the horse was getting cold. He needed to get home and get that blanket back on.
He said he was glad he did. As soon as he pulled in to the yard the horse came running to get his coat back on. He hadn't started to shiver yet, but he was definitely cold.
Tonight I got to wondering whether any of the other men I knew would stop what they were doing to go home and save an old horse from being cold and uncomfortable. I guess not - none of the other horses I know wear blankets in the wintertime.
Feeling grateful for my husband's kind heart is a small thing perhaps, but life is made of small things - and they do matter.
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