by Connie Brisson

Something unusual happened to me in Grade 3.

After our teacher asked us to write a little story, I heard a loud male voice (in my right ear) tell me that I would be a writer someday. He said it twice to emphasis it. I was startled! I quickly looked around me, but no one was there. While I couldn’t comprehend where the voice came from, I certainly knew in my heart that it was from someone and somewhere important. It was such an unusual experience that I never ever forgot it. It shaped the course of my life.

Now I think I can honestly say that I’ve never heard ‘the voice’ again the way I did that day. Sometimes I hear a voice in my mind which I consider to be my intuition or guidance. But this voice was different. It was like hearing a real voice outside of me.

My faith in this voice was remarkably strong. As I continued on through school I was never very interested in writing or even in reading books (although I’ve always loved words). Yet I wasn’t worried about this apathy. Instead I faithfully waited for the pivotal event that would lead me to be this great writer. But following high school, after working at a few different unfulfilling jobs, I purposefully decided to meet destiny half way and learn what I could about writing.

The only reason I enrolled in journalism was because I had heard that voice in Grade 3 and that is the complete truth! I had absolutely no interest in the news, I never read newspapers and rarely watched television. Well, I was a bit of an anomaly in my journalism class to say the least!

But the real test to my faith in ‘the voice’ came two days into my journalism program. We were asked to write why we wanted to be a journalist. I wrote this fancy little blurb and was absolutely devastated to get it back with a ‘D’ grade! I cried and cried - then I cried some more. “How can I ever be a journalist or a writer if I get a ‘D’ on why I want to be one?” I sobbed to my sister, Shelley.

A few days later Ivor Dent (previous Mayor of Edmonton) came to class to talk about mill rates and our first assignment ever was to write a story on this. Believe me when I tell you that there is nothing more boring than mill rates! Afterwards he sat down with a group of students in the cafeteria. I was just so curious about his colorful life so I asked him about all the places he had been to and the famous people he had met. From that conversation I wrote an article (totally breaking the rules because this was an assignment about mill rates) and I got the first ‘A+’ grade in my class. It was my first ‘A+’ but not my last! I had found my voice. ☺

Ironically once I had completed journalism and was working for a weekly newspaper, I discovered that I pretty much hated it! I loved writing feature stories about different people and their unique lives, but ‘hard news’ was not my thing …“Gas went up one cent this week.” It was boring, dull and dreary. With a lot of disappointment in myself and in ‘the voice’ I hung up my writer’s hat and worked as an executive assistant instead.

Although I had basically given up on the ‘writer’ thing, I would sporadically muse that the perfect job would be to write for a magazine that I cared about, where the content would change people’s lives. Then, almost 18 years after graduating from journalism, Catherine Potter offered me the opportunity to take over Mosaic Magazine! In that moment ‘the voice’ and my muse mystically merged.

I’ve been the publisher and editor of Mosaic Magazine for over three years and I strive to do it with integrity. Now, not only do I write, I also use my expertise to help every article writer in the magazine to write or improve their stories. I sincerely want to provide you with inspiring information that can change your life.

In the 11 years this magazine has been published, this is the first issue it has ever had a glossy cover! We are growing and expanding every issue and I need your help and wisdom. Because I want to have your input on ways to improve the magazine and where to distribute it, I’ve included a survey for you to share your thoughts – with some great prizes to win!

We’ve also totally changed our website. We now have a page that will let you make comments about what you love about Mosaic or what you’d like to see different. Go to: ILoveMosaicMagazine.com and under the ‘Let’s Hear From You’ heading, enter your comments. I’d love to hear what you have to say. BUT please send in the survey too to win!

Last issue’s winner of a Channeling Session is Tammy Bauer. Win one of SIX amazing prizes this issue by answering Mosaic's Reader Survey by June 30! Send in the survey to our Edmonton address.

With amore,
Connie