Readers of this magazine can certainly never accuse us of dodging the big topics. We’ve tackled so many, including energy, health, our beloved state of California — even mortality. What was left to explore? Life, of course — the whole big, messy, thrilling, heartbreaking, rollercoaster of it all. From how it all began with a giant bang to what our scholars are doing to preserve it to the meaning of the whole dang thing.

In the middle of putting together this issue, my son’s father suffered a heart attack in Paris. We jumped on the first flight we could get. Too scared to turn our phones back on in case we were too late, we ran through the airport and jumped into a taxi to the hospital. We were lucky. We got there in time to spend two magical afternoons with him before a second heart attack snatched him from us forever.

He was an artist and a photographer. He left school at 14, yet among the more than 80 mourners at his funeral were acclaimed actors and musicians, artists and gallerists. He was curious about everything, always creating, always learning, passionate about art, books, history, politics, people and — most of all — photography.

He loved that I worked for a college of letters, arts and sciences. Though he sadly never had a chance to study at a place like USC Dornsife, he would have felt right at home here and would have loved every moment. He never had much money, but he knew the secret of life: He knew how to truly live.

Death puts life into context. His passing made me deeply grateful for every moment of living. I hope exploring our scholars’ work in this issue brings you renewed appreciation for the beauty and wonder of life.

Susan Bell

Editor-in-Chief