Things Aren't Always As They Seem...

Exhibit 1

Last week I was doing one of my favorite things – snuggling next to my Mama, looking through tens of thousands of photos together – which, by the way, are almost all of me. It must be because I’m so sweet and so cute, but then on the other paw – I'm not sure why nearly half are of me sleeping? Weird, right?

Anyhow, back to my story.

Mama was scrolling and smiling and scrolling and smiling. My tail was wiggling and wagging and wiggling and wagging because of all the happy memories we were seeing. And then, as usually happens, a pawticular photo gets Mama’s attention and the scrolling stops, and then this is how it goes: “Aww, Toffy, look how cute you are here. Look how cute this photo is.”

And I’ll admit I never get tired of hearing this, just like I never get tired of getting more and more treats.

Then more and more scrolling and smiling and wiggling and waggign until another photo makes Mama's thumb stop moving. And to be fair, if I was the one pawing, it would have my attention too and stopped my paw from moving.

“Aww, Toffy, look how cute you are here. Look how cute this photo is.” And she was right because she almost always is – I did look cute, and handsome, and pawsome – so calm, so good, with my crazy lazy bunny. It was such a pawfect photo, it could have been on the cover of Dogue magazine. You see the photo above, right? It's labelled Exhibit 1.

But this is where my story, “Things Aren’t Always As They Seem,” really starts. I remember the exact day that photo was taken. And I also remember that there was more to this picture than what's showing above in Exhibit 1. And the reason I remember this so very well is because it was one of those rare times when a few extra barks and a few extra words might have been exchanged between Mama and me.

Exhibit 2

Now, I’m sure when you see Exhibit 2 to your right, you’ll still love me just as much and still think I’m super cute. But I'm sure you have to be wondering: how is it possible that the dog in Exhibit 1 and the dog in Exhibit 2 are the exact same dogs who were on the exact same mat, in the exact same room, at the exact same time?

How could the handsome, sweet, and very calm Toffy be the same floofy Toffy who seems to have caused a zoomie tornado and toy box explosion, turning everything upside down and on its head? A giraffe that seems to have a badly broken neck, some monkeys whose home looks more like a pancake than a banana, an Amazon box that’s half-shredded, half-whole, and a very scared chipmunk that looks like it just saw a very unfriendly-looking ghost.

And I also agree that it seems impawssible that what you're seeing in Exhibit 1 is from the exact same scene, taken almost at the same moment as what you're seeing in Exhibit 2. But it is, and the reason is because “Things Aren’t Always As They Seem.” I can definitely be the angel that you're seeing in Exhibit 1 (because most of the time I really am), but I can also be Exhibit 2 Toffy, who lets his tail down from time to time and has so much fun there's no chance for order to win over chaos.

So one picture is really two and sometimes even three.

Exhibit 3

Not convinced. Here's another photo. It's Exhibit 3, right to your left that will confirm for sure that “Things Aren’t Always As They Seem.” This was one of those times when Mama and I were having a picture-pawfect day at the beach. You know...those days when you wish you could stay where you are forever and ever because everything you want is right where you are, and everything feels just the way you want it to be.

I'm sure you can see that in Exhibit 3, Mama is sitting right next to me, on the very same grass, looking at the very same sea, at the very same time. So I'm sure you’d agree that for both Mama and me, it makes pawfect sense that “Things ARE Exactly What They Seem To Be".

Exhibit 4

Now, if you'd asked Mama what made that day extra special for her she would have definitely said it was being with me, and watching the sea, and hearing the waves, and having one of the best picnics we'd had.” End of Mama’s story.

But if you’d asked me why I had such a fun day – it wasn’t just all the things Mama just said. My day was super special because there was a very different view that I happened to find that got my full attention for an entire day. Take a look at Exhibit 4 and see if you can find what that might have been :) Honestly, I dont how Mama missed it becuare it was right there for her see just like it was for me.

Now you have two different stories with photos as proof for you to believe that I'm right and that "Things Aren’t Always As They Seem.”

But now you're probably thinking, those photos are cute and the stories were fun — but why does this even matter to me? Well, it actually matters more than a lot, and here are 3 barks to tell you just why:

1. There will be days when you see a photo, or post, or even a reel with what seems to be one of a pawfect life, and it makes you feel like your life, or even you, aren't pawfect enough. Remember Exhibit 1 and then Exhibit 2. Because now you know that “Things Aren’t Always As They Seem” and for every one photo there are another 2 or 3 that you will never get to see, don't get down or get sad and rather look at your own, which I have no doubt are also happy and fun.

2. Just like in photos when "Things Aren’t Always As They Seem” there will be times in life when all have to see or expawrience the exact same view. But because you are different from me and I'm different from you, our stories of that view will probably not be the same. But that doesn't mean that my view is right and yours is wrong; it just means that for one reason or another, my point of focus is meant for me, and yours is meant for you. Remember Exhibit 3 and 4, and choose to be kind and to learn and not judge.

3. There will be times when you'll look at your life and feel like you're stuck in "Exhibit 2" - when everything feels messy and chaotic and you have no idea how you’ll ever get back to Exhibit 1 that you love. But just as you didn’t like me any less in Exhibit 2 than you did in Exhibit 1, when your life feels like it's been turned upside down, remember that it won't last forever, and it doesn’t make you any less pawsome than you were before. You’ll learn and you’ll grow, and you’ll have stories to share that might also help others, just like I hope I’m helping you. So what do you think? Do you believe me or not? And just so you know, I'll never be mad if you say that you don't but it would be super pawsome to hear what you think about my pawlosophy that “Things Aren’t Always As They Seem." Toffy xoxo

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