Life was certainly very different for us back in 1987. Andrea and I would not even meet until the next century. While Andrea was pursuing an opera career in the U.S. and Europe, I was operating the first of my six retail locations (over a 22 year period in Queens and Long Island, NY, and New Hampshire). I married my first wife that year, and Andrea would begin raising her family a few years after that.

Fast-forward to 2005, – that’s when Andrea & I, and Creations Magazine started anew. We married in February, and just three months later, made the decision to purchase this magazine.

Appropriately, the first issue we published was the August/September, Back to School issue, featuring articles on lessons and new beginnings. With little publishing experience between the two of us, we had plenty to learn – and we still do. While we select and edit all the editorial content, and offer our “Talk” in this space, we still approach each issue as students taking on a new assignment.

Sure, I may on occasion, have stronger “leanings” on a particular topic. But our goal in these pages, and in life, is to be authentic. Naturally, we don’t navigate every road gracefully, but if a lesson is learned or insight gained, it has been a successful trip.

Writer, speaker, spiritual activist – and one of my favorite contributors, Robert Rabbin claims that “the need to be right and its corollary, the fear of being wrong, block authenticity.” You can be real without needing to convince anyone of anything. You can allow yourself to be vulnerable without fear of reprisal. Your feelings belong to you and are not contingent upon others’ validation. Simply present your views as your truth, and your truth alone. The views expressed in these pages are shared solely for your consideration. If we should happen to spark some interest, questions or debate, everyone benefits.

This August/September issue marks a very special milestone in the life of Creations Magazine. Most publications, let alone businesses, do not see 25 years. While we celebrate this anniversary, we don’t pretend to claim the lion’s share of the credit. Vijay nurtured and guided this “baby” for the first 19 years; Andrea and I came on the scene 6 years ago. Although we didn’t conceive the publication, we did rescue it from life support and have presided over its recent growth. We instituted several physical changes to the mag, including a completely redesigned logo, better quality paper stock, and a shorter, more manageable page size. Early on, we doubled our distribution points, while increasing circulation. Editorially, our goal is to include content that is more “spiritually accessible” offering practical application in everyday life. Based on our Reader’s comments on page 7, I think, for the most part, we are achieving this.

And it is to our readers first and foremost, that we dedicate this issue. Without an audience, the magazine would hold no relevance. Many of you have been following Creations for the majority of its existence, and as evidenced by the unsolicited notes (page 7) we have been receiving for the past several years, you have also been living authentically.

Our intention for printing these comments is not for a self-congratulatory, pat-on-the-back. Rather, we are seizing this opportunity as our public acknowledgement of gratitude for all of your sincere and heartfelt support. It is appreciated far more than you could ever know. These notes usually arrived when we most needed a lift; but beyond that, they gave us A Reputation to Live Up To – the cover title we borrowed from our lead article, courtesy of an old friend to Creations Magazine, Alan Cohen. The praise we receive from our readers continually encourages us to keep earning it. I don’t know that we can actually live up to our “billing” but the end result is that you push us to deliver a better product. Regardless, 25 years or 125 years, we know the previous issue won’t mean a thing if we become complacent. The issue that counts the most is the one we’re working on.

Everyone who enjoys and benefits from Creations Magazine owes a debt of gratitude to our Financial Support System, otherwise known as our advertisers. This free publication is 100% advertiser supported. Please consider them for your comprehensive wellness needs.

With deep affection to our staff: In case you don’t read the fine print in the credits box on page 3, here they are: Jan Guarino has designed every cover for the entire 25 years. Our indispensable, Associate Publisher, Laine Covington does all the “heavy lifting.” Ginger Graziano adds beauty and interest to all the article pages. “Real man” Andy Crespo creates the display ads. These four came with the magazine; it is our extreme good fortune they have stayed with us. More recently, Denise DiGiovanna hopped on board and has elevated our website. Editor-at-large, John Calabrese, writes the best book reviews in the business and our media reviewer par excellence, Mark Maxwell Abushady, also contributes his photograpy work. Sudhir is our “star” astrologer. Erica Settino handles anything we throw her way in the office and without Donna Coogan, there would be no Yoga/Pilates Pass (YPP).

Our key Distribution people are Ray Pesonen and Cecilia Sullivan. Since the early days, Ray served with the previous administration in various capacities, including editor. Cecilia contacted us when we initially took over the mag and has held “office” ever since.

On another note, please consider the short selection below. We feel this is The Vital Principle (did I mention I have a book published by this same title?) that guides Creations Magazine. We hope this guides you as well.

In Peace & Gratitude,