Maybe it’s my hormone induced funk, but I think it’s time for some real reality. You know? Some real truth that you won’t find tweeted, pinned, or posted. Because do we really need another idea for “upcycling” our old furniture? {What happened to RE-cycling? When did we start UP-cycling?} Do we really need more of this coming spring’s hottest fashion trends? Or recipes like that awesome recipe for avocado fries? Well, YES! Of course we do. Of course!

But I’m sure we will all agree {Yes, ALL!} that we can find ourselves sucked right into the comparison game after perusing social media sites for twenty-two minutes. Or less.

So. In an effort to remind you that our lives are not really just as they’re posted. Or pinned. Or tweeted. . . here’s a little dose of what you don’t see, what we don’t say. Things like, “My butt hurts. I’m sorry. I guess that’s not what you really wanted to hear right when you walked in the door.”

The truth is that your butt hurts terribly because of hemorrhoids and you’ve just spoken the above sentence to your husband for the thirtieth or three hundredth time over the past week and a half. It’s an awful situation. You’ve tried everything. You’ve Googled. There aren’t pins for this sort of thing.

But that doesn’t stop you from perusing the Pinterest. Besides, it’s not all ponies and puppy dogs on social media. There are people with problems. Real problems. So you certainly don’t want to start feeling sorry for yourself. In fact, some people don’t mind sharing their problems. I mean, like, all of their problems. Except for hemorrhoids.

Before long, you’re under a deep, dark cloud. Many people are struggling in a bad way. Close friends, broken. You pray, stand believing for them. Others need healing and you will not relent! You will not let go for believing healing is theirs! You’re determined. And then you’re reminded that your hemorrhoid situation you prayed was behind you, isn’t behind you. Well. It actually is behind you. But . . . never mind.

The day ticks on and you cannot shake the cloud you’ve been under for quite some time. Oh, you know there are grey days. You’ve tried to determine to be thankful in spite of them. But the weather is awful and winter won’t quit. And maybe your peri-menopausal hormones are feeding you.

When all is wrong in the universe, maybe that’s not the time to browse the social media. Because picture perfect pins and posts can sting. And then make you feel guilty. But not for long because now your ovaries are kicking what’s left of your butt.

You press on, cleaning house, tending kids. You can’t wait to settle in under the covers watching the reality TV with your man. Alas, the time has come and you snuggle in for the evening. For some reason, everyone in the house wants to use your master bathroom. And the chain thingy in the back of the toilet tank keeps getting stuck. The toilet won’t quit running. Sure, this may be a minor first world problem on most days, but today you’re barely hanging on. And now your toilet is mocking you loudly.

So there you are. Watching the reality TV in your cozy bed, browsing the social media on your laptop. And the real reality is that you are down right miserable. The ovary pain is bad enough. But have you ever had hemorrhoids? Because they trump the ovary pain.

But{t} no one wants to talk about that.

Except . . . Si Robertson. Duck Dynasty is on and you remember that he boldly went where no one has gone before. He uses Vapor Rub.

So you try it.

Well. Let’s just say, don’t try it!

You decide that this, too, shall pass. So you go look for chocolate for consolation.

And then you browse Pinterest.

All hypothetically speaking, of course.