Me in 45 Seconds: Introduction

How does one introduce oneself to another? Do you start with funny or witty or quick or brief to the point. Let’s give this a go and read fast.

My name is Karen Pond (note my blog site) with six decades under me of lived life. My three daughters had in their own gentle way indicated that Facebook is not the platform for lengthy narrative writing and said I should create my own blog site. They see me as a writer. And let me tell you that is quite humbling.

I thought about blogging and its purpose. It allows a person to put out in to the universe, or wherever it goes, own thoughts and/or images, visibly. That takes courage. But also, in blogging readers bounce back to the writer, their own response. I like the idea that people and circumstances can be my companions, awakening me to pay attention (or at least to consider).

Having been an on-line instructor, one of the gifts of reading the participants posts and in turn, writing a response to said posts, I can ‘hear’ and ‘see’ the person through their thoughts written down. And that there is a way of conveying messages that can be life-giving even when the writings may not be so encouraging. We do not come with a blank slate.

Why now?

I have come to a point in my life as a recently retired educator that I have some time and believe I have something to say. I want to capture some things in a meaningful way for me and hopefully others receive a nugget or two.

What would the blog be about? Well for starters I know a little bit about how to be a mother (or not), grandmother, friend, colleague, sister, daughter, widower, homeowner, city and rural dweller, walker, photographer, reader, parishioner, planning events, caregiver, nature lover, woes of cooking, living with dementia, growing older, weddings and baby showers, pet owner, ….zerotohero. I am inspired by life around me, being present to the moment, and listening to experiences of others while living on the island as I have moved from Ontario to Prince Edward Island when I retired. Who would have thought?

Who would read this blog?

You.

And maybe share you with me if something connects in what I write about and bring me to a new pondering. You’ll find that I love to ponder on things and enjoy narrative writing. That is what you will find here…not fiction so much.

Prompt me. Just a little bit of a background story. I have a “red pen” companion that reminds me why I am writing in a public forum. When I was younger as a child and teenager I think many of my teachers had a preoccupation with using red pens to highlight the wrongness of my writing. There must have been a big sale on each year (I love post-it notes, just saying). I might not have been the best writer, technically or otherwise, but I had something to say. And I took those red circles and double edged red lines to heart. In those moments, those red markings were like permanent scars etched deeper into my hands. It took a long time to see hope.

Let me just say… delivery is everything, word and deed; it impacts you.

Welcome to Karen Pondering.com.