From the Editor-In-Chief

"Do you really need another dog?" my mom asked after I sent her a photograph of four three-week-old puppies sleeping soundly side-by-side. "Have I ever needed any of them?" I quipped.

I remember when I brought my first dog home from a church picnic in middle school. It was the successful culmination of a campaign of begging, pleading, and promising my parents I'd do all of the heavy lifting. Just a few days after reaching the heights of triumph, I found myself crumpled on the floor of our kitchen, eyes red from crying. Deflated by the frustration of dealing with a wild child of a puppy, I quickly realized that dog ownership was a lot harder than I anticipated.

Thirty-five years later, despite the challenges and the heartache that comes with saying goodbye, not a day has gone by without a dog in my life. The constancy of immeasurable joy and unwavering affection my furry friends bring me are two things I've come to rely on, even more so when the world seems topsy-turvy. As the title of Peter Shelley's 1975 song pointedly states, "Love me, Love My Dog," or, in my case, dogs.

One upside of the Coronavirus is that adoptions from animal shelters and rescue organizations have soared. Now that my dogs are entering their golden years, I've been considering adding another member to my pint-sized pack, going so far as to submit inquiries and applications to MisPit & Friends Rescue and Buckeye Bulldog Rescue, but the fit was never quite right.

Photo of Bridget Williams and Victor Hugo by Tony Bailey

During a conversation around the same time as my puppy pursuit, an acquaintance remarked that it must be tough to be in the publishing business at this moment in time. "People really don't need magazines right now." I shrugged, not knowing how to react to this unintended gut-punch. This question, as well as my mother's inquiry, got me thinking. What do we really need?

"Without beautiful things, I believe that there is no reason to live," writes Alex Narramore in her article on page 27. Alex's jaw-dropping cakes take sugar to unimaginable heights. Such eye-popping extravagance is undoubtedly not necessary to sustain life. Still, her statement that beautiful things "enhance our quality of life and our experiences" really resonated. It brings me great joy that Sophisticated Living provides a forum for individuals like Alex to share their unique talents, which augment our lives in myriad ways.

No, we don't need magazines, just like I don't need another dog, or the flowers in my garden, the spices in my pantry, or the art on my walls. But here you are, magazine in hand, hopefully smiling as you see the impossibly adorable puppy in my arms.

There is no doubt that addressing the challenging and critical issues of our time must remain paramount, and we are fully committed to doing our part. However, it is also essential that all of us mind our mental health by seeking respite in things that bring us joy and comfort, like a walk in the park, or better yet, escaping into the pages of a magazine. So, as you flip through these pages, admiring beautiful spaces, vacation places, and the diversity of smiling faces, I hope you concur that magazines do matter.

Bridget Williams Editor-In-Chief - bridget@slmag.net