A friend recently asked how I was adjusting to the simple life in a small town since we often confided in each other about the latest political heartache. The idea of returning to a town where seeing confederate flags is as commonplace as gas stations truly disturbed me. I feared the divide I saw online would translate to a divide with family and friends because the line in this particular town seemed firmly drawn in sand.

I am happy and relieved to report things of that nature aren’t as extreme in real life as it appears online, just as lives on Instagram aren’t exact representations. I watched on eggshells for fear of the worse as two friends engaged in a heated political debate, then respectfully agree to disagree. They carried on as if nothing happened and their relationship remains in tact. It’s been a pleasant surprise witnessing people who genuinely value loved ones avoid conflicting declarations of beliefs at all cost in order to maintain respect and peace for one another. These little acts of love that preserve good relationships are incredibly significant. They are signs of hope and are more common than we might think. We simply need to lean in and pay close attention.

Changing seasons present fresh opportunities to edit our perspectives in the pursuit of the good life. There’s no good life without good people, which takes time and effort to edit in our own lives. This issue aims to help us all become just as good as we want those around us to be for we are only as good as the company we nurture.

xo,
Juley

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