Subtitle: New Normal (or when conditions hitherto unknown, heretofore unimaginable, by force of changing uncontrollable circumstance become commonplace)
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I’m an introvert. By virtue of my vocation as an ordained minister, at best, I’m a professional extrovert. Thus, while relishing deep and abiding engagements in and with the lives of others, I know the necessity of solitary time to recharge the battery of my soul’s energies.
(As I reflect, I was much influenced by my father who encouraged, indeed, harped on the matter of “developing the life of the mind.” By this, he meant engaging in the practice of thinking, which, of course, could be – perhaps, best – done whilst alone.)
Pontheolla, my dear bride (who, sometimes, rightly refers to me as “a loner”), quite on the other hand, is one I consider to be “an off the (Myers-Briggs) charts extrovert.” (This is not to say that she does not have or enjoy quiet and private moments. For she does. She is never so happy as when she is out in the garden nestling her hands into the womb of fertile earth dreaming of what new life will come forth.) She thrives, aye, she is most alive in the living, loving presence of others. À la Perle Mesta, she, a fine chef and a creative party-planner, loves to entertain. I also call her “one of the original hunter-gatherers.” Her shopping excursions, even if initially “to look for one thing,” can take hours on end. For from her bountiful imagination will spring an idea requiring the search for one or more other things. Yet more to the point, it’s always the people she sees and meets along the way that make the trip worthwhile.
This current (and for the future foreseeable) time of coronavirus pandemic induced social-distancing and self-quarantine has caused us, has called us to spend more time together within our four walls. Indeed, much of each day, a dining room table becoming a shared workspace, we are face-to-face.
Always, we knew that we loved each other. Now, we have reconfirmed that we like each other!
Here’s to a new normal becoming, whene’er we reach some future post-pandemic time, an old normal!
occasional observations of mind and heart, soul and spirit 
Wow Paul, this fit right into my day. Sometimes we love people but don’t always like them. So I loved reading this about you & Pontheolla.
I spent today hanging out in JOY in my driveway looking at videos and photos of me & Tim’s trips around the world! It was AWESOME “traveling” virtually during this pandemic. I have never spent hours looking at our past as I did today. It was magical and not sad at all. I knew all along and you mentioned it in your words on our 25th anniversary vow renewal that Tim and I liked each other as much as we loved each other!! That’s very cool. I’m going to text you some pics that reminded me of the fun and travels the four of us took. There wasn’t just love between us, there was a lot of like too!!
As you always tell me, Carry On!!!
Much love!!
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Thanks, Loretta, it’s been quite the time for Pontheolla and me, among many things, learning and relearning how to be with each other, particularly as we have been and are (and, doubtless, will remain) very different in our attitudes and orientations toward life.
I can picture (pun intended, given that you write of “videos & photos”!) you sitting in JOY and reliving your and Tim’s manifold global excursions. I am happy for the “magical” moments you enjoyed, free from sadness.
I thank you for the photos. And, no, you hadn’t told me that Tim had that pic of the two of us in his sedan visor. Touches my heart and brings tears. Happy tears. And I don’t know if I told you that of the various photo files I have maintained, one is entitled: “Tim & me.” So, this pic goes there in a treasured place along with the other images of my “Brutha” and me!
Love you
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I’m glad they were happy tears!!! And glad there’s a new photo in your brutha folder!! That’s awesome!!
And YES I bet it’s really cool to be learning new things about each other!! I hope you’re not driving her crazy!! Can’t you hear Tim saying “now, Paul…”
Love you back!!
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I can hear Tim, too, saying, “Now, Paul…” with his arms folded across his chest. Love that man!
As for driving Pontheolla crazy, well, my dear, you just have to know that that’s simply one of the things I do!
Love ya’!
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