Letter From The Editor – January

In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks, as the titular character, famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you’re gonna get.”  Although, as adults, we intellectually know that good times don’t last always, for some reason, our childlike spirit of  optimism usually won’t permit us to fully embrace the possibility of the worst possible outcome.

Typically, at this time of year, our hearts are filled with hope for a new day.  We commit ourselves, at least for a while, to new practices and routines; and we solemnly vow to release old habits and hindrances in an effort to improve our lives.  Making these resolutions, it seems, is as much a rite of passage into the New Year as is changing the calendar.  But what happens when even our best-laid plans yield less-than-desired results?  How do we cope with the challenges and disappointments that inevitably come with life?  Where do we find the strength to persevere when it’s much easier to quit?

The answer to those questions lies at the heart of the theme for our January issue of Wiles:  Resolve and Resolutions

This month, we celebrate the resolve of extraordinary men and women from all over the globe, from all walks of life and, in at least one instance, spanning throughout history. Our “Purse Strings” feature delves into one of the darkest realities women in our world currently face:  human trafficking.  In addition to enumerating some of the societal ills that contribute to this horrific trade, we’ll showcase one organization, International Princess Project ,that is dedicated to helping women escape from the sex slave trade and rebuild their broken lives.

In anticipation of the new George Lucas-produced film Red Tails, we’re proud to salute the Tuskegee Airmen – the United States military’s first African-American aviators.  In addition to compelling photos of the men, themselves, we’ll hear a firsthand account from one of their widows, Mrs. Maycie Herrington, who, in addition to being married to one of the Airmen, worked alongside them at Tuskegee Institute.  From this month’s “Mr. Right” – Sydney, Australia native Chris McCormack, we’ll learn what sort of mettle it really takes to become a world champion Iron Man.  And Marc Alexander’s signature feature “The Greatest of All Time” will explore some of the greatest celebrity comebacks (from scandal) to ever grace a tabloid front page.

And speaking of comebacks, we are thrilled and honored to feature former U.S. Olympic track star Marion Jones in this month’s cover story.  While the scandal and her fall from grace have been well documented over the past few years, we are particularly proud to showcase Ms. Jones in a way that few have ever endeavored to before.  Her story of hope after heartbreak is one you won’t want to miss and exemplifies an unwavering faith and unbreakable resilience that is rarely seen and celebrated in today’s media.

“Poise. Purpose. Power” is not simply a tagline here at Wiles – it’s the mantra by which we’ve determined to live our lives.  From top to bottom, this month’s issue is one of the most exciting and powerful issues we’ve published to-date.  We hope it will inspire each of you, in your own lives, to dig deeper, push harder and go farther than you’ve ever gone before.