03/13/2026
Pondering…some light-hearted, some very much not:
1. Over the top IS the correct orientation for TP. There is no need for you to argue with me about this. You’ll just be wrong. (So there is no misperception and to protect the innocent, I need to state that this random thought was NOT in response to someone having placed TP incorrectly on a holder in our home. See the next pondering as evidence.)
2. While I’m on the subject, I wonder if a statistic exists regarding the percentage of men - well, straight men - who actually put a roll of TP onto a holder?
3. A thought to preface the next…A young relative for whom I have very high regard once told me that social media was not the place to share negative emotions. I respectfully disagree with that sentiment. As opposed to seeing only the staged or seemingly picture perfect moments in others’ lives, I believe people NEED to see some messy and painful things others face so they can know they are not the only ones who struggle at times. No one has a picture perfect life, and no one needs to believe he/she/they are the only ones who have muck to wade through. Bottom line: It’s much healthier to know we are not alone in our imperfect lives.
4. It is true that we take great risk with our hearts when we love someone, even when that “someone” is an animal…a pet, so to speak. The notion exists that the benefits of loving outweigh the risks. It’s difficult to hold that notion steady when faced with the impending and certain loss of a very beloved animal. One for which “pet” isn’t a big enough word because the animal has been a supporter, a partner, a team member, a teacher. No, in the case of a beloved horse, “pet” doesn’t even come close to expressing the relationship, because such a horse is SO much more than a pet. It’s almost like another human. Honestly, in my heartache, I can’t even find the correct word. However, I can find the word to describe what I and some others in the MVS family are feeling this week - heartbreak. And, for two of us, it feels as if our hearts are being ripped out of our chests. So, do the benefits of loving and being in “partnership” with such an amazing creature outweigh the risks? In this moment of pondering and in facing Hershey’s final vet visit today, my heart simply isn’t sure.
