Ponder- Prologue

Prologue

"Once upon a time there was a little boy named Ponder."  And so began hundreds of stories told to my children before they nodded off to sleep.  I would like to say that Ponder was a well thought-out and deeply inspired character. But actually this little boy was inspired rather spontaneously by a painting I had done on the wall next to the bottom bunk, copied from some whimsical art printed on the bunk bed sheets. 

Ponder's world revolved around his brother, his parents, and a few friends, just as my own children's world did.  The setting of all the early Ponder stories were the wilderness. Ponder, along with his family and friends, lived in tent-type housing, I suppose like tee-pees.  But Ponder and his people were not intended to be any specific traditional people, but people who live outside of our modern civilization. His life was separate from our own in space and time but his interests, passions, and problems were very similar to my kids'. 

I never knew what story Ponder would find himself in until I laid my head down next to my children's. My story ideas would be plucked from whatever had happened in their worlds that day.  And so Ponder's story would somehow reflect some part of my own boys' stories. After the story was told, and sometimes even before the story was finished, there would be rapt discussion of choices the characters made or lessons they learned.  As a young mother I was amazed at how clearly my children saw and understood emotional circumstances and difficult situations in a story that they struggled to see in their own lives. I saw how Ponder could help my kids process their own emotions and social situations.  Ponder became a powerful ally for me in raising my children. With Ponder I could help my kids do things like build compassion, understand jealousy, process sadness, cultivate forgiveness, or make peace with disappointment. 

As I teacher I looked for these kinds of stories to read to my students so we could have conversations around such topics.  Certainly there are some wonderful books which provoke these kinds of discussions but not many that are as short and simple and accessible as Ponder. 

Now that my children are grown and I await the arrival of my first grandchild, I find myself being drawn back to Ponder.  I attempt to bring his world and his stories to print for any future generations who see their own stories in his.

Angie, Mom, Mrs. Smartt, Bubbie