Ponderings by Dan Ponder

Memories are such a part of who we are this time of year.  Like it or not, we are partially defined by the time we spent as children and later with our own families during the Holiday Season.   The power of a single word or phrase can often trigger not only memories of places and…

Starting about the middle of November our mailbox starts overflowing, easily double its normal volume.   Given the continued growth of internet shopping, it is no surprise that much of the increased mailings come in the form of catalogs.    Some catalogs are sent randomly in the hopes you will take the bait.   Others are sent…

The rain came in sheets, reducing visibility to near zero.  The dark clouds made it seem like nightfall had come an hour early.   When I left the office at 1 a.m. it had been raining hard for almost nine hours.   Southwest Georgia had been in the middle of a severe drought for the past…

The graveside service opened with the minister reciting the 23rd Psalm.  Mary Nell Calhoun Ponder was my mother-in-law for 38 years, but I knew her for almost a half century.  Her passing, while unexpected in its timing, was a blessing for someone who had suffered from Alzheimer’s for several years. Our relationship was unusual in…

“A tree without roots is just a piece of wood.”  This great quote is attributed to Marco Pierre White, widely considered the first celebrity chef.   If you follow cooking shows, you may have seen him as the Head Chef on Hell’s Kitchen or as one of the judges on The Chopping Block.        There…

“I see the moon and the moon sees me.  God bless the moon and God bless me.  Please let the light that shines on me/ shine on the one I love.”  The lyrics to this song became the #1 hit in England in 1954, the year I was born.   Our daughters grew up hearing their…

It is 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning and I have just watched the most amazing six hours of political television of my life.  The column that I had drafted prior to the election is now shredded and in the trash can. Like most of the country, I incorrectly predicted the results of the Presidential election. …

Long after his Presidency, Jimmy Carter is reported to have been asked during an interview, “What was the best time or period of your life?”   His response was simply, “Now”. I have said for a long time that each decade of my life was better than the ones before.  I honestly would not want to…

After much prayer, discussion, amazement and disgust, I have decided how I will vote in the upcoming Presidential election.  My friends and family, like much of the country, seem bitterly divided so I will keep my vote secret in the hopes of pleasing both sides. I will only say I believe this country is stronger…

I have read a couple of articles in the past few months about the positive things that happen to human beings when they belong to a group.  It is somewhat of an instinctive need, developed just as humans developed over time.   Early man needed to belong to a group for hunting, safety, shelter, and food. …