They say that a smile is the best medicine.
Which is great, because there are a couple of things that can make most people smile, like a cute little lap dog, a precious mini pony, or a mini pony that thinks it’s a lap dog.
But then there are those unique things that are individual to all of us, that, when presented, can make us glow.
For me, a heartwarming tale about a senior can make me melt. I especially like it when that older person embraces the term “golden years,” lives life to the fullest, and goes against the grain — like a grandma who fled her nursing home to get a matching tattoo with her granddaughter.
My most recent favorite, however, is a story about a grandfather who loved nothing more than a certain equine. Yet, due to illness, he was unable to visit his favorite four-legged filly…but that didn’t stop him.
What happened next has put a smile on my face for days…
Karl Holmen, an 89-year-old man in Norway, has always had a soft spot for horses.
But there is one in particular that is very special to him: his granddaughter's Shetland pony, Bolla. However, his health has declined recently and his family was forced to put him in an assisted living facility, which means he can’t visit his beloved buddy.
So his granddaughter, Susan, figured that if he can’t go to Bolla, Bolla could come to him.
Caregivers at the home understood that this simple act could completely lift Karl’s spirits — and it did! "He thought it was great," Susan told TheLocal.no.
"And so did the others at the nursing home. They thought it was very special to have a horse to visit."
Bolla's visit had such a positive impact on the nursing home that its manager, Inger Johanne Stensland, says the door will always be open for Karl's little pony to visit again: "This was a very big event, both for us employees and residents. It was great
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