A number of people have lately remarked that publishing Seeker must keep us hopping...after all, they've pointed out, we don't get paid for it, and we all have regular lives to run. So how come we keep it up?
I guess it's true, Seeker keeps us quite busy..but it's a labor of love. As a girl, I wrote constantly, and had actually managed to get a play published with a co-writer...but about 13 years ago a series of incidents left me in a state of mind in which I could no longer write. It was at this time that I took up the study of computers. Working with machines was very therapeutic for me for a while, but eventually I became restless and unhappy, and I couldn't figure out why. I spent a great deal of time looking for the source of my emptiness, with no success, until about two years ago. It was at that time that I went online, and began role playing.
I created a series of characters for the games, the most successful of which was Ellenodale. She was a medieval bard, who listened to the life stories of other characters and created poems from them. I began writing again...and I met three extraordinary young men who changed my life. They are the Seeker staff..David, Mike and Brandon.
David, Mike and Brandon all live in separate states...but because I was talking to each of them, and eventually went out to meet them, I discovered a commonality between us all. We shared the same basic values, ideas, troubles and dreams...and we were all "seeking" the answers. I introduced them to each other, and we started to meet on a regular basis. During that time we all became incredibly close, and started to think of each other as family. We called ourselves the Seeker Pack. They were a source of strength to me, and an inspiration.
One day, when we were all talking about the perceived shortage of Seekers in the world, a thought occurred to us. Perhaps more Seekers existed than we were aware of. Perhaps they simply had no place to let themselves be known, to add their "voice" to the world. Many Seekers are withdrawn by nature..quiet in a world where the people around them seem to know all the answers. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they had a place to share their views..their dreams..their questions?
On the basis of that idea, Seeker was born, exactly one year ago this month. It is a source of joy and hope to us, and our main source of faith in the ability of mankind to change himself and the world around him in positive ways. So you see, even though it takes a lot of time and commitment, and we do it for "nothing," we consider ourselves well paid for the effort. We get a treasure chest of new friends, ideas and happiness each and every month! Thanks for the past year, fellow Seekers..you make it all worthwhile.
Denise Ruiz
Editor - Seeker Magazine