I have loved the ESSAY long before this December issue. I would include it in my morning studies and let HP nudge me about what to highlight and make notes on. Then Luc accepted me onto the editing team where I got to act out my ADD and OCD to my heart’s content as I fix spelling, clarify passages for non-English writers, and fix punctuation problems.

I was just sharing with a fellow how grateful I am for the ESSAY and how I still get insights and wisdom, which HP seems to communicate specifically for my recovery on that specific morning. This now happens quite often with articles I’ve already pored over in edit mode. When I’m in study mode, it’s like the author and HP are speaking directly to me.

This month’s issue is already special to me, though. Luc’s sudden departure from this world (see “For Luc”), just six days after the October issue went live was jarring to many in the Fellowship because of the solid role he played for each of us, not only in his role as ESSAY editor, but also as a fellow member of SA. Even if it was a small role like kindly hearing a fellow introduce himself at a conference, that fellow could feel Luc’s presence in that moment. Luc understood the principles the Program taught him. And everyone could feel that he was progressively incorporating these principles into his daily life, whether he was sharing in a meeting or accepting an arti­cle submission for the ESSAY.

To say Luc left a gaping hole here at the ESSAY would be a gross understate­ment. He not only transformed the newsletter into a polished, profession­al-level magazine, but HP used Luc to transform both the writing by mem­bers around the world and the publication process itself into what we now enjoy as a special spirit of ESSAY. Readers and writers around the world may not have exact words for it, but countless people know there’s some­thing special about this magazine that Luc built.

I am both honored and overwhelmed stepping in to help get this December 2024 issue out.