FROM THE EDITOR
I
would like to welcome you to our inaugural issue
of ZOOM. When we were thinking of the feel or
theme we wanted this premiere edition to embody,
a quote kept popping into my head: “One step must start
each journey” (author unknown). My head is still reeling
from all the steps we have taken over the last few months
to arrive at this point. Deciding to start a magazine is no
easy task. I am so grateful to have had two wonderful cofounders, Jodi Murphy and Sharon Cummings, join me
on this roller-coaster ride. It has been quite the journey—
one filled with mostly ups and, thankfully for my stomach, not too many loop de loops!
Even so, as we were about to push
publish on this very first issue, I could
not help but be reminded of seventh
grade. I know, strange, right? Seventh
grade was the year I left the comfort of
my neighborhood school and entered
a special performing/visual arts magnet program across town. I can vividly
remember how nervous I was. A million thoughts spun through my head
as I walked through those front doors.
What if I am not talented enough to be
here? What if nobody likes me? How
ironic is it that I was consumed with
these same types of thoughts as I embarked on this journey years later? What if nobody reads us? What if they
don’t like it? What if …? You get the idea. I happened to
express these concerns out loud, and my sweet 11-yearold daughter Grace reminded me of the advice I repeat
to her and her 13-year-old brother, Jay, every day as they
exit my car before entering the doors of their middle
school: “Make good choices and BE YOURSELF!”
So here I am, ready to practice what I preach, ready to
make good choices about the content we will include,
4
Zoom Autism Through Many Lenses
Jodi, M e (Sharon F.)
and Sharon C.