Loneliness’ Friends and the Gift That Makes Them Leave
I have been trying to think of a time when I felt lonely. But I can’t think of just one. Multiple ones come to mind in less than 10...
Category: Community
Loneliness My Old Friend
Loneliness and I are old friends. The kind of friends that, no matter the time spent apart, when we meet again it’s as if no time has passed....
Seeking, Not Fearing, Glory {The Grove: Fear Not}
Over the past few weeks every time I bump into Christmas décor at the stores, I have to catch a sob, while my eyes well up. This is not new....
Laboring in Community {The Grove: Labor}
Recently my daughter-in-law invited me to be present during the labor and delivery of our first grandchild. Her mother, my son and I made quite a “labor team” as we...
On Becoming an Outsider
I had never been on the other side before. I grew up as an insider - I was of the majority demographic in my community, raised in the suburbs of...
The Two-Way Street of Community {The Grove: Sayings}
“Klooen tee bung klooen.” “Depend on yourself.” This common Cambodian phrase surprised me as I learned in the early years to appreciate the generous and interdependent culture of...
Let’s Dream Together {The Grove: Dreams}
We are long overdue for a community post! If this is your first Velvet Ashes Community post, here's the gig: We'll have a list of ten questions you can copy...
When Selfishness Leads to Neglect
As an introvert who spends a lot of time communicating with people for work these days, I relish a quiet social life. The downside to this, however, is that I...
When Death Leads to Life
Transition, re-entry, cultural adjustment—no matter what the label, cross-cultural living involves parts of ourselves dying on a regular basis. When I first moved overseas, I didn’t fully comprehend all of...
Connecting When You Think You Might Not {The Grove: Community}
Connection Groups registration will end soon. We have about 40 openings left and don't want you to miss out on the opportunity to be in a more intimate community with...
