by Vella Karman | Sep 11, 2024 | aWkwaRd, Belonging, Bonfires & Stars
I figured something out. If you don’t feel safe in friendships, one of the best ways to get that safety is stepping into friendships. I know, it sounds counterintuitive that doing the thing that scares you will take the fear away. But it’s true. You start...
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 | Aug 7, 2024 | Belonging, Lone Wolves
Did you know that when someone is choking, they often hide in a bathroom? I learned this in First Aid and CPR training classes. People will actually excuse themselves from a group, coughing, and hide in a bathroom stall to try and figure it out themselves. They’re too...
by Vella Karman | Jul 31, 2024 | Belonging, Bonfires & Stars
The worst thing I’ve ever done to a friend is idolize them. I guess it’s confession time. First confession: I really don’t want to post my faults on the internet for everyone to read. But here I am. I guess there’s justice in the world. Second confession: I’m guilty...
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 | Jul 17, 2024 | Belonging, Bonfires & Stars
I moved out of my parents’ house almost 11 months ago. My first year away from home has been a whirlwind, but an amazing community helped me through it. These people love me in a way that blows me away. I can’t imagine my life without them. So here are my...
by Vella Karman | Jul 10, 2024 | Belonging, Bonfires & Stars, Lone Wolves
Have you ever noticed the similarities between Christianity and cults? Cults are built on a community of people devoted to each other and some leader, religion, or ideal. For the Nazis, Hitler led them towards the ideal of a “pure race.” They died (and killed) for...
by Vella Karman | Jun 26, 2024 | Belonging, Bonfires & Stars
I’d hit it again. The point where I get scared. The point where I don’t want to stay at an event any longer. The point where I want to leave before anything bad happens. Before anything bad happens. It took me months to lay bare the actual thoughts running...
by Vella Karman | Jun 12, 2024 | Author News, Short Stories
Be forewarned: I tried a new genre for this story and wrote it in a very short amount of time. If you’ve never read about Fae before, don’t worry. This story is a good introduction. It’s also in honor of the writing contest I’m judging. Ready...
by Vella Karman | Jun 5, 2024 | Belonging, Bonfires & Stars
In the middle of an argument, I do this and it changes everything. There’s a secret to community. It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s effective. You can even multi-task it (although it’s better when you give it your whole focus). I use this in...
