Mother Like a Poet

I am surrounded by piles. Piles of things asking for my attention, energy, respect. A stack of bulletin boards and canvas paintings leaning against the wall behind my Ikea desk. Piles of bills and pen pal letters atop the file cabinets. Six laundry loads of clean towels and clothes next to me on the recliner….

Church for Introverts

Turn and say hi to the person sitting next to you. Not my favorite. Pretty music to sing along with and reflect on. Love it. After visiting and settling down in many churches over the last 30 years, I’ve noticed that some liturgical practices and pedagogy are introvert-friendly and some are not. I’m not too…

Lucky with Men

There is no way to deny that I have been lucky with men. From the beginning. Because it’s Father’s Day, I feel inspired to take note of that. First, there is my dad. Alan. I’m his only daughter, so he has a giant Tasha sized pile of glitter in his heart for me. He is…

Working Hypothesis: Diversity Nurtures Authenticity

Lately I have been working to identify the reasons why I have always been drawn toward diverse communities. During college I attended an Asian-American church and spent a fair amount of time volunteering with friends in Mexico. I took a job in Malawi, Africa after college. For several years I attended church at a homeless…

Dear Tash: Gratitude Outranks Control

Dear Tash, Sometimes something happens to make you feel a little out of control. You can’t stop a friend from making a disappointing decision in spite of your sage advice. You don’t have the physical energy to convert your home from chaos to clean. You are stood up for a much-anticipated hangout and busy calendars make it hard…