Give A Little Bit

I call Bernie "Happy" sometimes, which is sarcastic for when he is Grumpy.  I got him a mug at Disneyworld, which I think fits him perfectly. It reads: "Beneath this grumpy exterior beats the heart of a dashing hero."  I love that Bernie is sensitive and he has a big heart.  He likes to root for the underdog which partially explains why he is a Dallas Cowboys fan (sorry, honey). It takes an awful lot to get him riled up, and even more to get him to take a solid position politically.  I am quick to pick a side. He likes to play devil's advocate. Often I think it is just to see if he can get a rise out of me.  He'll even go so far as to tell me he's voted for an opposing candidate in order to "neutralize" my vote.  In the majority of cases, he is just kidding, and we are actually on the same page.

He doesn't like to hear about children or animals being treated unfairly.  Bernie is just as upset about what happened in Newtown as I am.  If he could do anything to change what happened or keep it from happening again, he would do it in a heartbeat.  He feels pretty strongly as do I that a ban on assault weapons would be a first step in the right direction in the gun control arena.   I don't want to start a debate here, there are plenty of forums for that.  Violence in this country is not a problem that will be easily solved with one sweeping piece of legislation; and gun control isn't the only necessary component.  It is a puzzle with many pieces. At the end of the day, I think most people in this country want the same thing right now.  We all want to make the world a safer place.  Both sides (the gun proponents and gun opponents) will need to give a little bit in compromise in order to find a meaningful solution.

My point in all of this,  is that I enjoy watching Bernie get on his soap box.   His isn't quite as worn as mine.  He is cute when he is passionate about something. 

Here is Lewis with a paperweight that Jack made Bernie for Father's Day last year.  I love that Bernie kept it and displays it even though there is almost no chance that he will ever use it to keep papers from blowing off his desk. It shows just how sentimental he can be.