Life in the Time of the Comma

I found myself explaining punctuation to my oldest as he wrote a letter to his favorite doll. “A comma is a pause, a period is an ending.”

Every now and then, a sentence, one that may even have been in a final copy, could use a revision. Sometimes sentences run on for years and years with no real value. There are times when I should have ended things. Period. And there are times when a sentence could use some elaboration. It is important to proofread life for errors, and edit accordingly.

Run-ons risk becoming convoluted. They may lose the subject in a series of fragments. But commas can mean continuation and the possibility of endless possibilities, separating what was, from what is to come. A comma can lead to deeper development and make room for hope in the future.

I recently reached my 40th year on this planet. As I approached it, I was compelled to pause in so many areas of my life, and then the whole world paused too. It feels as if we are living in the time of the comma. Life, clearly defined and familiar, came before, but now we are waiting. Waiting to see what will define this period in history. Many are trying on new clauses to see if they fit. Many have decided to declare an ending, or have been forced to. And still others question and exclaim, “What have we been doing here? This is a time for change!”

I wonder if any of us will write in ink again. That kind of certainty evaporated with the virus. No matter what lens you look through, coronavirus illuminated the need to write our lives in pencil, to keep an eraser handy, and to live in the grace of the comma. A comma is a pause, a period is an ending. Choose your punctuation mindfully.

Have you added any significant commas or periods recently? Are you making revisions or writing in ink? Tell me about your life in the time of the comma.