Aurora 2026

A Note From the Editor: Often, when we look at the world around us, the hate, the evil, the death, destruction, and violence, we can lose our hope. We lose hope in what is good and in the brightness of humans. It is hard to feel like there is a better future before us, when all forces are working against the people of this world who want to restore it.

You may try to cope, by any means necessary, but that temporary relief will never hold against the constant fight for joy.

You look into the past, through a rear-view mirror into a sunset. “It is beautiful,” you think, but it is behind you now, and all that lies ahead is a darkening sky. The blues fade to black and it seems like it might never end. Then what? You think back to that sunset over and over and wonder why the future can’t be as wonderful as the past. Why can things not be like they use to? Why would I try when all the good is far behind me now?

So, you sleep. You let your body recharge, you create stories in your mind, fly across oceans, fight the evil monsters, save the innocent people.

And when you wake up, the sky is bright again. The sun is shining and the birds are singing and colors fill the earth. You wonder why you ever longed for the sunset when the sunrise was more beautiful than you could’ve imagined. The sun will stay up forever and shine upon our faces if we work for it. If we fight for what is right, if we defeat the evil monsters, join together and help those in need . Create what they try to suppress. Create what makes us whole.

Art.

Allie Benson-Atterson, Editor-in-Chief

2