I was moved by the Democratic National Convention, beginning with the Zoom-esque choir of American children singing the Star-Spangled Banner.

I was moved by the variety of spokespeople for the states’ Convention delegation, by our geography, our languages, our passions.

And I was moved by Joe Biden. If ever there was a time for a naturally garrulous talker to nail a speech, it was Thursday night, and he did it. Americans together. Collaboration. Unity. Purpose. The man spoke about finding a purpose amidst personal tragedy, and his purpose is national service. It is us. We’re going to bat for Biden.

I was moved again today by two episodes in my going-to-church program, CBS Sunday Morning. The theme, again, was purpose.

The first — a story told by Conor Knighton — was about a retired surgeon and pilot who, after losing his wife, found his way back to life again by flying animals to adoption centers through his non-profit, Dog Is My CoPilot. Peter Rork has rescued 15,000 dogs from overflowing shelters (often, high-kill, too) to underpopulated shelters with lots of foster and adoptive volunteers. In doing so, he knows that those animals have rescued him.

We feel the same way about our Kumba. He feels the same about his soft security companions. With a job to do — carrying — Kumba is able to relax around other dogs when we’re on our daily walks. We’ve still got the muzzle, but it stays home most of the time.

And the second, good-news story — told by the lovely Steve Hartman, On the Road — was about a lobster fisherman who was befriended by a seagull. She showed up on his boat out in the middle of the Gulf of Maine in 2005 and basically never left. When she suffered a leg injury a few months ago, Captain John Makowsky got the bird help at the Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick. When the bird recovered, he released her back to the wild, but she continues to show up whenever he is at sea.

It’s about the purpose revealed whenever two living creatures truly need each other.

Steve Hartman, On the Road, CBS