As we reach the midpoint of 2025, the air feels heavy with change and uncertainty. Our timelines are dense with grief, with wars, with fires – both in the world and in our own homes. There are days that are simply hard for no apparent reason. The silent battles. The struggle to get out of bed. The weight that refuses to name itself.

We find ourselves navigating a world that seems to shift shape just as we begin to understand it. But a labyrinth is not a maze. It doesn’t try to trick you. It only asks that you walk its path – forward, inward, sometimes in circles, but always toward something. That’s what we as a team aim to highlight: work that speaks to the reality of being alive. 

We may not have answers, but we do have each other. Perhaps that is everything.

With this issue, we want to hold space for those struggling with their mental health and for those who help others make it through the day. Whether you’re navigating grief, burnout, anxiety, apathy, or simply a world that refuses to slow down, we want to read what survival looks like for you. What healing looks like, or even the absence of it. What care looks like, what doesn’t.

There is no singular path through the darkness, but we believe in the light that art can offer, even if only briefly. We feature submissions that reflect this journey – poetry, fiction, short prose,, visual art, and hybrid work. As always, we are honored to share your paths. Let this issue be a testament of your steps, however uncertain, however brave.

Rameen Saad 

Essay Editor