Oh For the Love of PomPoms!

The pandemic has had me reaching out for mindfulness and plain old escapism more than ever before as I ride a never ending rollercoaster of hope and despair. I've learned to clear my mind, be in the moment, find beautiful distractions around me, embrace the fifteen pounds I've gained eating for comfort, forgive myself the endless hours of TV, and try to develop a deep compassion for all the ways we cope.

Because I have discovered the wonders of a pom pom.

Ignore for the moment the climate change apocalypse.

Cast aside all the ways the patriarchy and capitalism tell us what is age appropriate.

Tear asunder your gender expectations.

Then take a moment to think about what sparks joy in you.

What makes you giggle? What keeps you in the moment? What distracts you from your troubles?

Because have you ever thought of the wonders of a pom pom?

So colourful, round and soft.

They are perfect to throw for a small pup or child to play catch.

I can juggle a few big ones, or dig my hands deep into the bag. Small pom poms then overflow to bounce along the floor.

I make pretend pom pom fruit, purple pom pom grapes and big fluffy red apples.

I string them on a garland, or shove them deep inside an ornament.

Then when accidentally flicked across a table like a tiny soccer ball, or tossed into glasses like a crafters beer pong I have my own game!

As Omicron tears apart my Christmas holidays and my expectations of gathering with family and friends, I have found my mental health remedy/escape. Pom poms.

Note: I recognize the privilege that I have to be able to escape into something as simple as pom poms. As I experience a time where everything feels complicated and beyond my control, I need simple things I can control. I can after all control a pom pom. If I could control things like affordable housing, how people experience systems of oppression, or governments who use emergency measures to silence opposition, I would, but these days all I can control is a pom pom.