Farewell to Aleesha

It seems like only yesterday that I was surfing the web and came upon a website called Maggie's Magic Spells.

I browsed around the site and very much liked what I saw.

The site was filled with wisdom and not a small amount of good writing.

I liked the site so much that I had one of my staff people contact Aleesha Stephenson, the publicist for Maggie's Magic Spells, to ask if she might be interested in writing an article or two for Body Mind Spirit Magazine. If I have the story right, Aleesha was completely astounded by the call. She was sitting in a restaurant when the call came in, and though she said she didn't have much writing experience, she agreed to try her hand at writing for the magazine. The rest of the story, as they say, is history.

Aleesha's foray into writing developed into a regular column in Body Mind Spirit currently called "Living the Magic." Despite Aleesha's claim of having little writing experience, her well crafted articles literally sang themselves off the page. She was a natural!

In October of 2002, I decided it was high time Body Mind Spirit Magazine did an issue on a Wiccan theme. So many of our readers were interested in this ancient religion and so many could benefit from the wisdom of the craft. With the exception of Aleesha, I personally didn't know any Wiccan writers, so I enlisted her help once more. I asked Aleesha to take on the task of guest production editor for the edition. She agreed, and quickly brought together a wonderful collection of Wiccan writers for the December 2002 edition. The Wiccan edition was dazzling. All the articles flowed together, their themes and imagery weaving back and forth throughout the edition like spun silk. I was amazed. Aleesha, who had no experience at magazine production, had created an issue that easily rivaled any of the editions I had put together in the two years I had been doing the magazine.

As soon as I read the December edition, I knew something special was about to happen. My health had not been great and I had been yearning for the day when I could step back from some of my work to relax and collect myself - to reassess my life and my work. I had been dreaming of the day when I could take a hiatus from the magazine to work on a book about death. (I was an anthropology major in university and had a long and keen interest in the subject.) But I had never really envisioned a day when I would find someone with Aleesha's innate talent for magazine creation to take over my editorial role in the magazine. Body Mind Spirit, as my family and friends can attest, is like a child to me. The magazine is a project my spirit guides had instructed me to do and I had created her with fire in my veins. Body Mind Spirit was forged with love, faith, and a great deal of passion. Nonetheless, when I asked Aleesha to take over my role as production editor, I did so with very little hesitation. I knew she would love and nurture my child - she would indeed make her shine.

I have to admit handing over the magazine to Aleesha, though a beautiful experience, was not always an easy transition. I am not the easiest person to work with. I had very strong ideas about how my child (the magazine) should be dressed and how she should be presented to the world. I am also a vocal person. I say what I think, bluntly. (And admittedly, sometimes without a great deal of tact). I overrode a few design decisions Aleesha made. I vetoed a couple of articles Aleesha had accepted. But all in all, the experience was an incredible one. The magazine blossomed under Aleesha's care. It became more beautiful, it gained a larger audience, and it gained some wonderful new writers. Body Mind Spirit is, without a doubt, a better magazine due to the love and care it received from Aleesha's gentle touch. In the process, Aleesha became one of the most profound influences in my life. In the year she was working on the magazine, we talked endlessly on the phone. We talked about our lives, our loves, our passions, and our troubles. We became soul sisters. Like the magazine, I have grown and evolved under Aleesha's care.

So it is with a great deal of bittersweet joy that I say farewell to Aleesha. Her year as production editor has come to an end and she is moving on to other things. Aleesha is creating her own online magazine called Timeless Spirit, which will be launched next month. I will miss Aleesha's enthusiasm, passion and her wisdom. I will miss her presence in the magazine. I will miss butting heads and mending fences.

It has been an incredible year Aleesha! I wish you the greatest success with Timeless Spirit. May your new child bring you all the joy and happiness that Body Mind Spirit has brought me. May your hand and spirit continue to be guided by the Goddess so that you may continue to touch the lives of all you meet. Thank you my friend for all your hard work, your patience, your grace and your love!

Namaste, Jeni