Welcome to Aspen’s Grove

Welcome to Aspen's Grove!

I am Aspen. I would like to tell you more about who I am, but there is an issue. When you're reading this, I will be a different Aspen from the Aspen who wrote and edited this little welcome message, so how can I relate who I am?

The last thing I want is to create unrealistic expectations. So while I can't tell you much about me, I can introduce the many paths of Aspen’s Grove, my new creative blog-type space.

Currently, my posts will include a combination of semi-daily diary-type reflections, serialized creative fiction and non-fiction pieces organized by tags and categories, and stand-alone essays informed by my research and intellectual pursuits—primarily rooted in my background of historical and environmental thought.

I hope that Aspen's Grove will be a window into my mind as I witness the world blowing up and tearing itself to pieces. And as I say watch, I recognize I am a fragment of this world impacting, transitioning and traversing through it as it shrinks and lives, dies, and expands.

Subject to this motion, I have found we (re)act collectively while remaining isolated—billions of folks alone in a crowd. Aspen's Grove will be a contemplative space asking what it means to be individuals identifying with collectives making up the "modern" world.

One thing to note, my agenda primarily consists of keeping curious and learning how to love radically. I am admittedly struggling with how to love those who hate and despise me, who want to see my personal sense of self regimented and destroyed.

Within this world of hate and violent oppression, are acts/performances of love, forgiveness, and acceptance real if they are one-sided?

I am not sure. Is this even the right question to ask?

It was today…

Anyway, the point is to keep curious in this ever-changing world. I have personally found curiosity takes constant effort and mindfulness. Finding love and joy in the heart and the mind reflects similar effort. This process also includes levels of extreme anxiety and depression that I am learning how to accept rather than fight. More on all of this later.

For now, I hope this piece is a sufficient welcome. Thanks for visiting; congratulations on reading this far.

I hope you enjoyed your time in the Shade, and we look forward to see you again soon!