Dear Reader,

In each of our lives, there lies division, whether that be between heart and mind or action and deed. We live in a world of contrasts; good and evil, light and dark. Does division fit within our chaotic lives, or should it be thrown out? In 1 Corinthians 12:12, Paul compares the body to the Church of Christ; though many distinct parts, together, it is whole. The stories within these pages will seek to explore the space for division in tandem with unity, with neither one having to cancel the other out.

In Ernest Hemingway’s novel “A Farewell to Arms,” he writes, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” The narrator of the story within this scene acknowledges the contrast between the night and day, how neither can explain the other. Though the world breaks people, strength can emerge in those cracks. Perhaps the division is not fun; maybe it breaks us down more often than we would like, but perhaps it is the thing that makes us truly and wholly human.

In this issue, we invited our authors to think about what makes them whole and what breaks them in two. To consider where things break and where they may only bend. Can good exist without evil? Or does every story need an antagonist? As a shadow cannot exist without light, can a person exist free of contradictions? As you, dear reader, move through these pages, consider the division in your own life, where it hurts, where it helps, and even where it flourishes for your good.

To Thoughtful Reading,

Jade Hernandez 25’

Editor in Chief