Finding Inspiration

I was stopped at an intersection in Grandview, when a woman walking along the sidewalk collapsed at the edge of the road. She dropped what she was carrying and, flailing, struggled repeatedly to get up.

I sat uncomfortably in my driver's seat for a 10-second eternity, stuck on the inside of four lanes between cars, helpless.

Suddenly, a COTA bus driver scurried out of her bus and to the woman. She gently pulled her up, helped her gain her composure, and then-even as the light turned green and oncoming traffic prepared to jump forward-ushered her safely across the street.

I don't even know her name, but she inspires me.

I often am humbled by the world-changing people like her who surround us every day. They're the kind of people who stimulate the soul, the kind responsible in big ways and small for making us a city we love. And as we put this issue together, we aimed to inspire you by showcasing some of the people who inspire us.

Inside, you'll find Sarah Adkins, whose husband killed her sons and then himself one year ago in their Upper Arlington home. I have cried more than once over this woman-a woman I've never so much as spoken with. Her strength inspires me. (So does the writing of Rita Price, the incredibly talented Dispatch reporter who did this feature for us.)

You'll also meet Karen Days, who survived a childhood with an alcoholic father and has dedicated her life to fighting abuse. Her passion inspires me.

You'll read about Nary Manivong, a kid who grew up homeless on the east side of Columbus and has found success as a fashion designer in New York City. His creativity (not to mention gumption) inspires me.

You'll be impressed by plenty more, too, that inspires me on different levels. Fall's luxurious trends are exquisite. Paige Langdale's New Albany home is spectacular. And I've been dreaming about Basi Italia's zucchini appetizer since Shelley Mann handed me her story this summer.

I hope you'll find the same for yourself-something that compels you to think or act or simply smile. Maybe you'll ask yourself the question motivator Debbie Phillips encourages every woman to ponder: "What is the love I have to give to the world before I die?" You could buy tickets to the Saks Fifth Avenue Key to the Cure fashion show (an event I highly recommend). You might consider planning a weekend in NYC. Or perhaps you'll get to the photo of Bungalow and think, "I need my house to feel like that!" (Or was that just me? Our living room revamp should be complete by the time this issue is in your hands.)

I hope that within these pages you'll find the inspiration we worked hard to deliver, whatever that is for you. And I hope you'll do something with it, too.

-- Kristy Eckert, Editor