The Making of the Adventure Volume

That’s because, for the first time ever, I was alone to receive the shipment of magazines. I almost asked the delivery driver to record a quick video of me opening up the boxes, but honestly, I felt a bit awkward about it. So, I didn’t.

And life is so full. There’s always so much to do. So when the magazines arrived, I barely looked at them. Just stacked the boxes and moved on. Sigh.

But last week, I had a quiet moment, and I had a copy with me. I sat down, flipped through it, and… wow.

I saw it with new eyes. And I couldn’t help but feel that it’s such an incredible and beautiful magazine that we create. I’m not one to toot my own horn (and I’m terrible at selling it because of this), but FOLKLIFE really is something special. The thick pages. The beautiful photography and layout. And when you actually take a moment to read it, the coziness of the stories feels like a big hug.

At our recent STOKED event (a small business development day), someone came up to me to thank me for FOLKLIFE—and they started crying. Because reading it has meant so much to them. It gives them something. And that is worth everything in the world.

We’ve made it to Year 5. To Volume 10. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We’re stoked that ‘adventure’ became the theme for this edition, and the people in the pages do not disappoint. You’ll read stories about big adventures—and small ones too. Storms to survive, hardships to endure, careers to navigate, parenting to figure out. Eagles to rescue. Mud to play in. Homes to move, and new cultures to learn.

There are so many ways to live that might feel harder at times, but make life a story worth telling.

Maybe adventure isn’t something you seek out. Maybe you’re someone who leans toward routine and safety—someone who reads the last page first so the anxiety of the unknown doesn’t eat you up. If that’s you, I see you. And I invite you to flip to the end—we all survive. At least in these stories, we do.

We hope this Volume brings you a little closer to adventure, whether you’re called to it or not.

Finding adventure in the every day is a mantra of mine. Stories in this issue embody that, and we bring this to our editorial filter in an ongoing way.

To me, adventure isn’t always about world travel or bear encounters or epic wilderness treks. It’s in the little things too—the figuring-it-out moments of life.

Learning, navigating, taking a risk, starting over. Even if you’re staying put. Even if it’s quiet. Life is still an adventure.

And today? Today is one of the big days. It only happens twice a year: the day everything gets sent off to design. All the photography, the writing, the editing—the wrangling. So many contributors helped shape this volume. And as usual, we were working right up to the last minute. But it’s beautiful. It’s finished. And it’s about to make its way to your door.

We can’t wait for you to read it. To slow down with it. To go on these adventures from your own cozy armchair.

See you out there.

Alina Cerminara
Founder & Publisher