Puppies, Babies and Curmudgeons

Barking dogs really irritate me.
Crying infants test my nerves.

However, one has to admit ... (don't they?) ... cute little babies ... and lovely little puppies ... are wonderful!

I was walking this morning at sunrise and I saw two puppies with two different owners in two different locations. In both instances, when I came upon them, I said softly, "Awwww, how cute." As each of the owners looked at me, we smiled at eachother. We had that mutual recognition of the dearness in a cute baby dog, wagging its body and making that sweet sound that puppies do when they want to be friendly.

After I had passed the second puppy, I started thinking about the curmudgeons. They don't like puppies. They don't like babies, either.

Who can resist the delightful face of a little baby ... smiling at you with its innocent, toothless grin, wanting to interact? Oh, they are so charming. When a baby is in a good mood, there is nothing like it. They smile with their whole little, wiggly body. They cannot be ignored.

How is it that some of us in the adult community have such hard hearts? Why is it that we can look at these appealing little creatures and not be attracted? If you can't pat the head of a puppy dog ... or at least smile at a little baby, you need to check your pulse.