Archives of Inspiration

ritual: letter from the editor

Χάος is one of my favorite Greek words. Not only is it fun to say, pronounced from the back of the throat kind of like hawking up a loogie, but it also translates to “chaos,” and describes perfectly one of my favorite Greek phenomenons: recess. At the school I taught at in Athens, when the […]
2 months ago

Part of the Process

The way we farm matters. By Emily Scifers  As dawn starts to creep over the horizon, I pull my aching body out of bed. Yesterday’s planting took a toll. I tell myself not to skip my morning walk around the field. It loosens me up before I really get to work. Spring training on the […]
2 months ago

letter from the editor, Spring 2021

“I want an adult to tell me it’s hard to be a teenager.” My friend Erin, an incredible young person, said this to me over the summer. One of her teachers had told her class they should enjoy their time now as teens before they become adults, because it’s the easiest life will ever be. […]
5 months ago

Art for You

The water closes in, threatening to take me down.  Overwhelmed by salt and sand, I find myself Splashing. Gasping. Fighting.   Struggling to survive.  Waves of self-doubt crash over my head.  Anxiety and fear swirl around my feet. What if I’m not enough?  What if I’m too much?    My eyes dart left, then right. […]
5 months ago

Try Something New: Tips for watercolor

Watercolor is the process of painting with pigments that are mixed with water. With just a little water, the colors can be bright and vibrant. Add more water, and the colors become subtle and opaque. Mix when wet, and your colors will bleed. Wait until dry, and the colors won’t mix. It’s a simple form […]
5 months ago

meet along the way: Joannie Smith

Women do incredible things. Here, we feature the stories of women who are a part of the Southeast Missouri community by way of living here, being from here or passing through. We hope these stories inspire you to connect with others and that they encourage you to be who you are in the world. We […]
7 months ago

letter from the editor

The first time I put on glasses, I saw leaves. They were on the trees, these beautiful little diamond shapes, two curved lines that met at a point on both ends, straight line down the center, tethered there in place to the branch by a tie, waving in the wind. They had lines around the […]
8 months ago

Letter to My Self at 20: Erin Urhahn

By Erin Urhahn   Dear Erin Urhahn, I  was once a girl in second grade who desired so fully to be grown up. I would toddle in my mother’s closet, flipping through the clothing, admiring adulthood. This was me when I was only seven years old. Now, eight years later, I’m the same girl, with […]
8 months ago

Letter to My Self at 20: Ali Eisenhauer

By Ali Eisenhauer   Oh Ali, Fifteen years seems like such a long time. Fifteen years will come and go so quickly. I don’t want to spoil too much of the fun, but I can tell you that your regrets are few and that life is good. Do me a favor, though, and just relax. […]
8 months ago