Hello Issue Number Four!

the letter from the editor as featured on page 5 of the June 2017 issue of Blank Spaces

Deep Breaths

When I was in high school, I bought myself a pewter ring of little people holding hands. They circled my finger like the physical manifestation of "Give Peace a Chance." I called it my "O Siem" ring. Music was my heartbeat and it helped me find my story.

The fascinating thing about a lyric or a story is that its relevance can hold as much poignant beauty years later as the moment in which it's penned. Were John Lennon still here today, he'd cup my face and say, "Chill, babe. Peace."

The journey to issue four has not been smooth. My computer crashed. Twice. And then it died completely. When the future of a project depends on the processing power of a machine, the death of said machine hits with such a crushing blow that you might find yourself folding in on your grief.

"Chill, babe. Peace."

There is light. Somewhere, there is always light. Like this space here; these Blank Spaces, they're bursting with the kind of gleam that leaves you with glitter in your hair. I am profoundly moved by the support and encouragement of this community and I can't believe it's sprung from that little seed I planted back in May of 2016.

I believe we're allowed moments of worry so we can appreciate the calm when it finally arrives. In the chaos of my struggles, one generous heart came by my house with a brand new Mac Book Pro, putting it into my hands so I could continue my work. That huge gesture is the encompassing pulse of what this space is: it's a tribe, it's a circle of people holding hands, it's the feelings Susan Aglukark stirs when she sings about us being a family.

Thank you for believing. Thank you for investing.

And when stress grabs hold of me and I begin to second-guess myself, you have my permission to reach out and give my shoulders a shake.

"Chill, babe. Peace."

Alanna Rusnak, Editor-in-Chief