After Thoughts

Knowing with our mind that the future will carry us through is often little comfort when a sea of emotions envelope us in life's more challenging moments.  Yet, when the waters still, there may be found almost a fondness for the struggle, for the depth of character it can bring, and for the faith that springs up in the power to recover from what seemed unrecoverable.  This realization isn't something that need dawn on us in our solitude.  It can be found each time we listen to another tell their story of having made it through.

This is where the power of the poet shines, for poetry speaks to us on several levels at the same time.  It transports us to another place — perhaps imaginary to us, but real to the author.  And it challenges us to treat that experience as more than the nightly news, more than an email update, and as an experience full of reflection that speaks to the bigger questions.  We find reason to know we are not alone and confirmation that taking a leap of faith can result in more than our demise.

We thank our contributors for sharing their stories and for doing so with care and craft.  Their carefully chosen words allow us to share in the depth of what they learned and the beauty of accepting that what life brings can often surprise us in good ways.  And we thank our readers for taking the time to open a moment of reflection and consideration for the humanity and profundity of each story told.  We hope you are enriched by every word and will continue to support Touch: The Journal of Healing.

Just a reminder: Touch: The Journal of Healing is now a semi-annual publication.  Beginning with this issue, the journal will appear in the spring and fall of each year.  This will allow us to focus with greater care on the theme of each future issue and work with our contributors to present their work in the best light.

Thank you, and join us in the fall for our next issue!

O.P.W. Fredericks, Editor

Daniel Milbo, Assistant Editor