by Vella Karman | Aug 14, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging, Bonfires & Stars, Lone Wolves
My worst fear is really common. It plays across the minds of thousands of people night and day…what if I’m unloveable? This question niggles at the vulnerable parts of our hearts. It stops us from stepping into community. It stems from an anxious fear that tells us we...
by Vella Karman | Jul 24, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging
Close-knit groups are intimidating. When they’ve known each other for years. When you’re new or temporary or not a Harry Potter fan. When you’re in college but still act like a kid sometimes. We all want to belong–God gave us an inherent need for community. And we...
by Vella Karman | May 8, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging
I attended the first ever Ohio Writers Association Conference last Saturday! And it got me thinking about big events. People make so many assumptions about introversion and extroversion in connection to big, loud crowds. So let me clear some things up. What...
by Vella Karman | May 1, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging
So, your friends are dating. And from some bizarre series of circumstances, it’s usually just the three of you hanging out. You…and them, the poor unsuspecting couple. Here’s my impossible to fail three-step process for third-wheeling like a pro: 1. Laugh...
by Vella Karman | Mar 14, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging
I don’t know how many times I’ve been ditched. I never thought to count. Is that the kind of thing I should tally on the wall in my bedroom? Probably not. My favorite is the time when a friend I met up for lunch turned around and started flirting...
by Vella Karman | Mar 6, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging
I turned 19 this week. Which means I had to endure the well-meaning but awkward tradition of people singing the birthday song to me. Multiple times. My roommate sang a few bars of it that morning. My dad sang it to my voicemail. My wonderful church family at Cambridge...
