Even in the desert, we see evidence of new life, a bit of color, and an invitation to grow something beautiful. The very rhythm of nature reminds us that after winter, no matter how cold the cold has been, growth can and will emerge once again. Spring brings the promise that something new is often below the surface just waiting to sprout.

Listening to many of you readers and contributors was the best way to settle into my first issue as Associate Publisher of Focus on Carlsbad. A West Texas native, I still have much to learn about Southeast New Mexico and the people who make this region so unique. After living in the mountains of Colorado, near the beaches of Florida, and on the plains of Texas, my husband Stuart and I moved to Artesia in 2015 and have been putting down roots ever since.

My role as a wife and my calling as a mom to three girls are the greatest blessings! I am also a Registered Dietitian and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist turned farm girl when my husband and I started Heirloom Acres Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch. We are raising our girls to love God and others and to pick a few pumpkins along the way. I have grown to love agriculture and small-town living, two very unexpected adventures that have brought with them some of the greatest joys.

This issue’s theme sprang from observing the cultural flow alongside my own pace of life. We live at unprecedented speeds. Even when physically still, our minds are reeling with each scroll of the screen. We wear many hats, juggling them as we try to remember to swap them between activities. Controlled by the tyranny of the urgent, we have little space in our schedules or our minds. Simply stated, we lack margin.

Margin is the wiggle room to expand and contract with the day’s demands. It is the space to seize an unexpected opportunity or downshift for an unforeseen detour. Margin allows us to breathe deeply, rest soundly, and be fully present in every moment. However, the reality of implementing this is challenging; I feel it daily. This welcome rhythm may sound like a wish, but with a little awareness and a lot of intentionality, living with margin can be the new norm.

These pages are full of ways community members are living in this space. For some, it is pursuing a passion and creating a job they love. For others, it is setting aside time each week for a round of disc golf, cleaning out their home to foster a peaceful environment, or planting a garden to cultivate beauty. No matter what this looks like for you, good is waiting to grow.

If only we can make a little room.

Allyson Joy
Associate Publisher