Editor’s Note

Building on Hope, a remarkable effort that began in a conference room here at our offices, has a new extreme makeover project — but for this one, the location has to remain a secret.

“In wildness is the preservation of the world,” wrote Henry David Thoreau. Now, physicians and scientists are suggesting that wildness may be the preservation of good health as well.

It may not be one of the first adjectives that come to mind when describing the Granite State, but when people (or states) describe themselves as “cool,” it’s often a sign that they aren’t.

“I wish that in the ear of every son and daughter of New Hampshire, in the summer days, might be heard whispered the persuasive words: Come back, come back.” — Gov. Frank Rollins, 1897

Heroics are often associated with a singular response in a moment of crisis, but what about a whole world in the aftermath of war? What do you call the thousands who answer the call?

My very first note as editor of the precursor of this magazine was for the May issue, back in 1993. Naturally, I took advantage of the column to sneak in a quick “Happy Mother’s Day” to my mom.

I borrowed the above title from a quotation cited by one of this year’s top doctors; mostly because I love big, useful and obscure words, but it also sums up so much in this issue.

My first foray into editing was a high school underground newspaper, cryptically titled The Shibboleth. It was intended to be revolutionary, but it included fashion notes.

With films like “The Secret Life of Pets” and “A Dog’s Purpose,” it’s easy to imagine that family pets have their own stories to tell. But it wasn’t always so.

I first met John Harrigan in 1989, which probably seems like a long time ago to anyone under 50. To me, it seems like yesterday afternoon.