This is my first real post on my blog website so let’s give this a go. What can I say? There are so many things whirling in my head right now because of the mass chaos weaved in with celebration that has happened over a period of one month. Thanks March for providing a spread of life’s paradoxical nature. Sidebar, I am in self-isolation for 14 days (on day 5 now) so I have the time to sit and have a mind bomb of thoughts swirling in my head. Where to begin? Well let’s start with the month of March. You did not come in like a lamb at all with your 40 cm+ drop of snow and me shovelling off the deck and lane, over a period of two days. Thank goodness for the snowplow guy and his John Deere snowblower and blade. But you did go out like a lamb, with a few snowflakes mind you. I’ll take that. Then Spring came quickly but do I see the sprouts and tips of buds of branches?? Not so much. Spring has sprung in Ontario and Quebec but not really in New Brunswick nor PEI. How do I know that? Well I just got back from Ontario, driving 18 hours straight, to get home because of the coronavirus-19. While driving along the highway (even in the darker part of the early morn) you can see evidence of a barren ground, no snow to be found until I got to Quebec city area and beyond heading into New Brunswick and lastly PEI – yep snow everywhere. However breathing in the air, you get a note of spring air with its little bit of warmth and freshness coupled in the crispness of the day. Favourite by far, rolling down my window and sticking my hand out to grasp spring in my palm. But that is for another time. Anyway, I had to leave Barrie ON after three weeks because it was time. Why you ask? Well the most precious paradox in the midst of the chaos of the pandemic, my eldest daughter just gave birth to her first child, a baby girl…celebration. paradox. coronavirus-19. She was due on March 12 so I came the Sunday before because you never know with babies. Thankfully I did because if I came any later or flew in, I would not have been with her because of the seriousness of the spread of the virus 19. It was like in one week, the week I came, chaos spread…hospital no visitors at all, social distancing enforced, grocery shelves depleted of toilet paper and disinfectant, senior hour at grocery store, gloves on, businesses shut down or closed, lay offs abound, essential and non-essential services identified, taped symbols on floor to tell you where to stand, schools and day care centres closed indefinitely, gates on businesses locked and chained up, and highway signs STAY HOME and WASH HANDS shout at you as you travel down the highway. Chaos!!!! Yet here I was, holding my granddaughter in my arms, a miracle of life – God’s reminder of the graced moments we are given. All the joys and gifts of new life held in my arms but also watching and feeling my daughter and her partner scared (me too) of how to make sense of what is happening. Scared of infecting baby and themselves as they begin a new chapter of life. So yes March you have brought with you a crazy joyful chaotic scary unbelievable no words kind of month for me and my family. Here I am now in self-isolation, disinfecting and washing my hands, in a self imprison on own my property for two weeks (probably longer), unable to see my daughter’s family or sister’s family now for who knows how long. But thanking God and being so grateful for the governments across the provinces for being proactive, moving beyond reactive, to find ways to make sure we all play our part. For the grocery stores and other services that are out there, allowing people to have what they need but also putting measures in place, enforcing them if you will, to get on board. This is a real issue beyond the scope of human comprehension. Patience is a virtue and being well informed (not social media frenzy kind of informed) but keeping up on what is asked of us and why.

Pondering for the day – Is this the new norm?? I do not know but it certainly has provided me with questions about the preciousness of life. And maybe even food for thought in how we live this life given. It’s all good, it has to be and so I welcome you April.

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.