The church where I served as an altar boy was run by two priests. They got along well—except for one quirk. When the first priest entered the sacristy, he would turn on the radio. When the second walked in, he would turn it off. This went on all Sunday. One padre believed that a grasp of current events helped his sermons. The other found the news too depressing. This last year, I began channeling both men. At any given moment, I was either turning on that sacristal radio for my job, or switching it off, overwhelmed. I wasn’t alone in this situation. Many of us at The Walrus struggled to find balance during a time of “small war on the heels of small / war,” as the American poet Robert Lowell once put it. I invited my colleagues to share any experiences that helped them endure the difficult year. What I got back was an amazing document—a deep-dive into gratitude. Its simplicity is striking: from recipes to concerts to podcasts to trips. Joy can thrive anywhere. I hope the exercise inspires you to reflect on your own extraordinary moments from 2023. From all of us: peace, good vibes, and happiness for the holidays. —Carmine Starnino, interim editor-in-chief
Carmine Starnino – Interim Editor-in-Chief
