CHLOE Magazine Spring 2013 Spring 2013 | Page 12

YIELD... GIVE WAY TO DESTINY 14 > LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Listening to one of my favourite albums by Pearl Jam, I was very inspired by the title “Yield” and why they chose it....Guitarist Mike McCready said, “I think the title Yield has to do with maybe being more comfortable within ourselves, with this band....we’re all a little bit older and a little more relaxed and maybe just kind of yielding to those anxieties and not trying to fight it so much...That’s what it kind of feels to me – yielding, letting something else happen and going with it.” Frontman Eddie Vedder said, “Let’s say that hypothetically speaking, the title does mean something...You can fight so much, and then you have to think, ‘What are the real battles?’ ‘What’s really important?’ You get to a certain point, and it’s really hard to remember what music is and to remember what drives you.” There’s been much discussion about our spring 2013 issue. Maybe, it’s because it marks our biggest to date. Maybe, it’s because it took so much energy to produce. Maybe, we are anticipating something that transcends the expectations of our readers. Throughout the production of this issue, I’ve realized that life has been showing me lessons, and through paying careful attention, I can revisit any moment in my life to discover its true purpose. A vivid memory comes to mind when dealing with the growth of this issue and all of its trials. While on vacation many years ago, I took a walk along the beach. I noticed a woman collecting sea shells at the edge of the surf. Suddenly, it became very dark and within seconds, I was engulfed in water. The tide swept me from the shore, grabbing my ankles and dragging me to the ocean as it receded. I remember the strength of the water’s pull as my hands dug into loose sand, yet with no avail. I thought about the woman picking up shells, who was also thrown into this washing machine tumble. For seconds that seemed like minutes, we were tossed up and down the shore and back into the ocean. My hands continuously dug into the sand to anchor until I pulled myself out from the cascading waves. As I knelt on the shore, coughing up water and gasping for air, the woman was still caught in turbulence. I stood up and began to walk towards the surf to help her out when I noticed a young local boy, barely seven years old. He walked up to the surf and dove into the violent thrashing of waves. After a few seconds, he emerged with the woman, who was barely conscious, paddling towards shore before being repeatedly swallowed into a storm of water. After several tumbles, he dragged her to safety and people gathered to comfort her. The boy? The boy walked away with no regard to the waves. I was astonished at how he dove in and out of the water with no hesitation, whereas I fought and resisted it with all of my might. That day on the beach has given me a valued lesson that I now use in various aspects of my life. The waves are there and sometimes the tide is stronger than most days. Despite its push and pull, you need to go into the waves to get what you need, what you want or what you have to do. Don’t resist the force – embrace it, absorb it, displace it and return it. Acknowledge its power, and you will discover that your goals are not determined by waves, but what you do to reach them. Yield ... I gave way to destiny and all of the waves that crashed in front of me this issue, I dove in, acknowledged the waves and swam to reach our biggest and most impressive issue to date. Cheers, Sandy Galli Publisher & Editor-In-Chief www.chloemagazine.ca www.chloewomansshow.com