JEANETTE SMITH EDITOR’S NOTE
Connections Issue
W elcome to the and experiences can intertwine with the experiences of others around the world. And when we talk about forming connections, we need to talk about perhaps the best connector of all—fungus. Yep, seriously. Underneath your feet is perhaps the most elaborate network of connections you’ve never imagined—and it’s all created by something called mycelium. Most people see “fungus” Connections Issue! In this issue, we’ll be exploring the idea of interconnectedness and how our life and think “mushrooms,” but mushrooms are actually the “fruit” of the mycelium. The mycelium itself makes up a large majority of the organisms we classify as fungus. You can imagine mycelium as a neural network or even something akin to the worldwide web. Mycelium branches through the soil and attaches itself to the roots of trees and plants. By forming these connections, one tree is able to communicate with nearby trees and share nutrients with
distressed plants which may not see as much sunlight or have roots that reach far enough for a good water source. In essence, it is the mycelium that allows our natural world to talk, share, and support everything in the precious cycle of life. Just like the mycelium, we as humans can raise each other up through the connections we make. In this issue, we explore concepts such as the connectedness we feel between our pets and ourselves. We offer a curated playlist of songs that meld into one another with their inspirations and collaborations. We also look at the pros and cons of our social connectedness through technology. These articles, along with many others, will inspire you to reach out to that old friend you haven’t talked to in years. They’ll get you thinking about what it means to be part of this human world. And they’ll likely make you realize that without quality connections—to people, to nature, to everything that surrounds us—we will not be able to grow and support each other as the mycelium supports natural growth. So, go. Venture out (IRL or digitally) and start making new connections today!
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