Dear Readers,
The world is full of cycles — some abhorrent, some comforting, all of which offer us powerful opportunities to reflect, introspect, learn, and connect. Trouble tends to be much louder than peace, making it easy to notice these cycles through spokes of pain and hardship. As the world rolls on, moments contradict themselves across time and space, and we must learn how to hold these contradictions.
Since we began reading for issue four, these cycles have been revealed in dramatic ways across the globe. Some of us have witnessed a return to “normal life’’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, while still anticipating the next spike in cases, and then a lull again. For others, there has been no respite. As people of faith and conscience across the globe, we have seen the tragic devastation wrought by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the courageous defense by the Ukrainian people. Millions have offered Ukraine their support. With you we stand, in grief and outrage and a fierce determination that love and justice will have the last word, in Ukraine and in many other too-often ignored places of great suffering and need.
As citizens of a planet plagued by rising tides of nationalism, racism, religious bigotry, and climate peril, we find ourselves both more connected and isolated than ever. Yet time and time again we see light in darkness and hold on to it, remembering that the essential work of spirituality and the arts is to bear unwavering witness to this light.
In each issue of Pensive we aim to amplify voices that need to be heard and raise awareness of experiences often overlooked. In these pages you will discover Ukrainian poets alongside writers and artists from many corners of the globe. Here you will find artists crying out in defense of a fragile planet, and seeking spiritual renewal in the natural world. Among the thousands of submissions we reviewed for this issue, we are proud to offer extraordinary work from internationally-known contributors alongside newer, emerging voices. We hope you too will find in this issue work that speaks to your soul, pricks your conscience, and ignites your own sacred imagination. Finally, we hope you will share Pensive widely with readers and potential contributors alike, and help us expand this rapidly-growing community that both sees and holds our shared moments of hardship and hope, as we offer one another spiritual solace and solidarity through the arts.
– The Pensive Board