If something happened at your house tonight, how many of your neighbors could you call? Not your friends across town or family members several miles away. I’m talking about the people who live a few doors down, across the street, or around the corner. Do you know their names? Would you recognize their children? Do you know who lives alone or who might need a … Continue reading How Small Acts of Connection Transform Communities
Twenty-five years ago, I wrote my first published article. One word, I now realize, could have changed its meaning. September 12, 2001, was my first day as a published journalist. I was a college student writing for my student newspaper, and my editor was asking for an opinion piece about the attacks of September 11. Its title was “Tragedy strikes but everyday life goes on.” … Continue reading Remembering 9/11 Through the Power of Words
Communication is often discussed as if it were a single skill, but in reality it operates on multiple levels. Two of the most important—but often conflated—forms are intrapersonal communication and interpersonal communication. Understanding the difference between them, and learning how they shape one another, can fundamentally change how we relate to ourselves and to others. One of the most powerful ways to strengthen both is … Continue reading Intra- vs Interpersonal Communication
This Earth Day event reflection explores how a community planting event at the Lakeway MUD Demonstration Garden became more than a volunteer opportunity—it became a space for intergenerational connection, shared purpose, and meaningful conversation. Through gardening side by side, volunteers of all ages discovered that stewardship begins not with perfection or politics, but with awareness, communication, and small acts of care for the future we … Continue reading Rooted Together: What a Community Garden Can Teach Us About Earth Day and Each Other
In the middle of a bustling gallery, filled with conversation and the quiet rhythm of footsteps, I watched a moment unfold that perfectly captured the heart of this year’s exhibition. An artist—also a grandmother—stood beside her painting, gently explaining it to her young granddaughter. She spoke about the meaning behind each brushstroke, about the traditions rooted in Chinese culture, and about the intention behind her … Continue reading When Art Becomes a Bridge Between Generations and Cultures
Held February 27, 2026 in Lakeway, Texas, Stephanie Threinen, founder of Cool, Comms, Collected was invited as an attendee and presenter of “Active Listening is a Superpower” at the third annual Mental Health Symposium hosted by the Engage and Heal Foundation, a local mental health advocacy non-profit. Both energizing and deeply meaningful from the moment participants arrived for a light breakfast and conversation, there was … Continue reading 3rd Annual Mental Health Symposium Recap
