Editor’s Note

BY Ian Lutz

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, 2023-2024

Looking forward by staying present.

With the constant flow of new beginnings washing around us — be they seasons, friendships, ideas or careers — I’m reminded that the best course forward in life is often to understand where you are currently. The art of self-awareness is one often taken for granted in our day-to-day health, but it is exercised and preserved well in the literary arts. When we create works of prose or pictures, we capture who we are in a moment in time to cherish and examine, like a photograph of the soul or a mirror to one’s psyche. Through our creations, we can better understand who we are, what we think, and what we truly want in life going forward. With that, I firmly believe, as Editor in Chief of Touchstone, that everyone should be encouraged to create literary art and that the creative works of K-State students (and non-students alike) should be witnessed and appreciated for their merits to provide inspirations for new futures.

This year, Fall 2023 to Spring 2024, our staff at Touchstone seek to not only showcase the excellence of our local contributors but also foster new ways to interact with the literary arts. We look forward to displaying amazing works from our community members and demonstrating the accessibility of thought provoking art. We will update our site regularly to reflect the changing current of contributor creativity, and we encourage you to visit our online magazine regularly to both appreciate and reflect on the snapshots of your fellow kin.