As so many of us endeavor to build each other up, cheer each other on, and learn some lessons God may be teaching us, I want to do my part by sharing the blessings that enter my life each day in this world of pandemic.

Karen deBlieck is one of my critique partners and a member of Scriblerians. She’s written a beautiful poem that has left my soul totally at peace. My favorite word picture? A gentle, beautiful spring creeping across lawns and into hearts. May this poem bless you as much as it blessed me!

The Year With Many Names

It was known as the Year of Isolation
But it had other names:

The Year of Bread.
The Year of the Non-travelling Yoga Pants.
The Year of the Lonely Walk.
The Year of the Ecstatic Dog…or the Annoyed Cat.

The Year of the Introvert
The Year of Zoom.
The Year of Netflix and Chill.
The Year the Children stayed Home.

The Year of Anxiety.
The Year of Generosity.
The Year of Closure.
The Year of Local.

And, for some, the Year I Worked to keep Food on the Shelves.
Or, the Year I Isolated from my Loved Ones.

And the people waited.
And ate.
And held close the hope of another day.

And, in all the stillness, the people noticed spring as it crept across their lawns and into their hearts.
And they were glad for the gift of care and safety others were giving.

And they stayed home.

THE END

KdB

Karen deBlieck

Karen deBlieck’s writing reflects the tension of identity and the sense of belonging she struggled with as a black American born in Japan and adopted by white Canadian parents (phew!). From a very young age she found solace in putting her thoughts and feelings down on the page.  Writing in poem, short story and novel form, her pieces are emotionally charged, often filled with conflict. Her stories are written for the general market but she hopes that it challenges her readers to dig further into what True Life is really about.

She was a finalist in The Word Guild’s (Canada) “God Uses Ink”, ACFW’s “First Impressions”, and The Reading Rooms “Aspiring Writers” contests. The short story Talking Drum can be found in “The Story – 2014 Anthology”.

She dreams of travelling through space and time, being sorted into a Hogwart’s house and finding her way to Neverland. When she’s not writing or cooking for her hubby and four kids she enjoys teaching teens about life and words. Check out more about Karen, the current novel she is working on and her blog at http://karendeblieck.com/.