Curls, Chaos, and the Courage to Belong

By Ashley Bills  •  March 12, 2026

From the moment my hair reached about an inch off my baby head and twisted itself into the most perfect blonde spiral curl, my mother knew she was in for something special. Or exhausting. Or both.

Recent Blog Posts

On Being Alone and Isolated During the COVID Crisis: The Profound Effects of Social Isolation

By Rev. Dr. Bobbie McKay  •  October 15, 2020

My moving into a multilevel retirement community coincided with the new reality of quarantines in this COVID-19 crisis. When you moved in, you automatically became..

Fighting for, Not a Battle Against

By Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, VP of Engagement and director of the Center for Abundant Aging  •  October 13, 2020

I recently read an interview with Alex Trebek, the 36-year host of Jeopardy! In March 2019, he shared with the world that he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic..

Let's Talk About COVID-19

By Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, VP of Engagement and director of the Center for Abundant Aging  •  October 02, 2020

Now that we have passed the six-month mark of living amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have some thoughts about lessons learned, things to consider and direction forward...

Nothing Gold Can Stay

By Abigail Smith  •  September 24, 2020

Recently, I took up walking again. After sitting before a computer screen most hours and leaving the house as little as possible for six months, I grabbed my FitBit,..

Handprints of Love

By Rev. Rebecca S. King  •  September 17, 2020

Twenty years ago, Fairhaven Community, the senior living community I currently serve, began a program with Disney designed to highlight teamwork and service. As part of..

A Moment in Time -- Over and Over Again

By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  September 10, 2020

The Sink The view from the window over my kitchen sink sometimes seems to set the boundaries for my days. I begin there, running water for coffee, feeding the kitties,..

Summer's Bounty

By Rev. Catherine Lawrence  •  September 03, 2020

Increasing Awareness Developing specific health and hygiene protocols, such as increased hand sanitizing, social distancing and wearing masks, has increased my awareness..

A Prayer for When Life Is Splitting Apart

By Rev. David Long-Higgins  •  August 27, 2020

I have often found that prayers are hidden in the sights and sounds which are all around us —especially in the first Bible that is God's creation. They often evoke an..

This Moment in Time

By Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, VP of Engagement and director of the Center for Abundant Aging  •  August 20, 2020

There is a spiritual practice that helps us concentrate on what we have: the current moment. You can find references to this is in many different traditions. In the..