Sit With Me: Characteristics of Comradeship
Reality has persuaded us to become self sufficient. Find solace in our selfishness—quit holding the door for people and glide to our own theme song. We’ve cradled this idea so much, we’ve disregarded the quirks that were found in our own personalities, the same quirks that emerged from community. We listen less, binge-hang, and return to the stiff bedsheets we overpay for. When does that lonely feeling end? We ask ourselves to only uncover the popularity we’ve been sitting on the whole time. We’ve realized how comfortable it can be, so we beg the question—why sit alone, when you can sit with me?
The love we believed in, the friendships we’ve followed, the family that molded us so that we could continue to reform on our own—those are the characteristics of comradeship. We’re opening our book to devote our pens to the people we couldn’t live without; to celebrate the gift of being together, and how words can turn into a never-ending hug.
The themes will revolve around:
Companion (love, romance, intimacy)
Community (others, world, co-living)
Confidant (friendship, others, familial)
Core (self, reflection, idea)
A year ago today, September 12th—Papers Publishing emailed 3 writer friends (Janae Harley, Cameron Keon Sykes, Lydia Hord), asking them to be the first published group in our online magazine. Since then, we’ve had the amazing honor of publishing 102 writers through our online and print issues, and we plan to keep going! But we thank you, and Issue 2 really isn’t about us, but when you put us (1) and you (1) together (2). You like what we did there?
Issue 2 is all about comradeship, and it’s important for us to act and promote those themes in realistic ways. A portion of our submission fees will be donated to Maui Rapid Response, an ahupua based disaster response team made up of individuals from the Maui Community and a number of nonprofit and direct organizations. Our donation amount will be recorded and announced once our subs are closed.
Thank you for being a part of Papers, even if you’re reading this and decide not to submit your work, we’ll find you.