Jim Ellis Legacy Magazine Editor
To those who communicate … thank you.
To those who contribute to this magazine – in the form of columnists, guest writers, proofreaders – thank you.
To those readers of this magazine – who take the time to pick up this online monthly and peruse it, given the myriad of choices out there – I say to you directly “thank you.”
Communication is the name of the game within any sort of relationship … be that a wide receiver and a quarterback making their play, be that two spouses planning out the pick up and delivery in a child’s day, be that business owners directing a staff, and be that in a men’s periodical that carries the needed expression – both given and received.
It’s not easy putting a magazine together each month, with a dedicated theme and writers who contribute merely because they care about the men and want to share something that will serve others.
Thankfully, the loyal have been there consistently – Craig Jones, Dan Kempner, Dylan Stewart, Jeff Kidman, Eric Louie, Fred Boyles, David Plante, among others. At the same time, we have lost a number of contributors due to their departure from the MDI organization, a quite messy experience that turned men completely against the idea of continuing. Perhaps rightly so. But definitely sadly so.
And then there was our most dedicated staff member. Our dear Doug Ernst from the Western Region. Present from day one of the magazine, when it was a quarterly newsletter, this man held a selfless dedication and talent (he was a professional copywriter), which was a gift to us all. With never a complaint and with only a desire to serve, he would show up with ideas of his own, so deeply wanting to positively impact our global audience of men. Among many articles over the years, he wrote about the fires that consumed northern California, the Playboy article about MDI, the power of intention, the importance of fatherhood, and the need to care for our broken children. In 2018, we not only lost a great writer, but also a great man.
The other thanks go to the audience of this magazine, one that will grow over time as our archives are made available on the MDI organization’s website and through this magazine. We have six years worth of material that will not be outdated, unless men stop walking the Earth.
A huge “thank you” as well goes to the MDI organization itself. When President Sandy Peisner first came up with a newsletter idea in 2013, did he know it would grow so much and hold so much … legacy? The organization has supported this magazine and its purpose of outreach every step of the way.
Then there’s the publisher Justin LaBarge. No one would read a word of any of this if it didn’t have some sort of visible attraction. LaBarge works with his BoldEverything company in ensuring graphics are engaging, links link and navigation takes us all where we need to go here. Much gratitude bro!
And for the final word of gratitude, we have the very experience of communication. God’s great joke – creating us all separate but with a unity only found if we work hard enough and communicate enough. Communication – what a gig. It shows up everywhere, whether that is in the form of successful relations or the very popular act of miscommunicating.
It’s a great process to undertake. Reaching out, in any form … and also reaching back in kind. For our contributors, for you readers, for this platform on which to express the men’s needs, losses, lessons and victories, we stand in humble appreciation.
Thank you.