The Editors Letter - Volume 001

Written & Photographed by Bentley Zylstra

I have a deep desire to tell stories. Stories big and stories small. Our lives are one big story. Each place, each person, has its own story. Everything is connected by stories. And that is what I want to share with you. I want to share some stories with you.

When I set out to create this magazine, I had no interest in what other people were doing, whether that was articles used only to sell a product, gear reviews, or the constant stream of advertising on every other page. I wanted to create something different. Something that would deeply resonate with people. I wanted to tell the stories of the people and places that make this world so wondrous.

It’s a desire I have had for a while now. I felt like everything was so superficial. It was all made to make a profit, which I have nothing against. But they took the soul out of the very thing that brings us humans together, the common thread of a good story.

This is a magazine I always wanted but couldn’t find. A magazine that will spark your curiosity and inspire you to take your own adventures. This is a magazine that puts its readers first; we are purely here to tell amazing stories, to you, and you are not just anyone. You are an adventure-loving, outdoors person who wants to read stories that will inspire and spark change in this world. And that is exactly what we are going to provide.

Now I will admit, making this magazine was no easy feat. I have spent 100’s of hours in the field as well as behind the computer creating this for you. Creating something you can be proud to put on your coffee table. Something you can loan to a friend when they need a little pick-me-up. A magazine you look back on when you need a little sense of inspiration. I hope I have done a good job. I know it is not perfect; nothing is. But you can know I tried my hardest, because I believe in the power of stories.

As I am writing this, the month is July, and I just got back from sitting by the campfire in Alaska. It is around midnight, but the sunset is still showcasing its afterglow. As the campfire crackles against the sound of the river water rushing by. It got me thinking about how this magazine is kind of like stories around a campfire. They are stories that are warm and fun to read, they make you appreciate the small things in life, and put into perspective what is important. These are the stories you remember.

I bet every person reading this right now could think back and remember a campfire story.

So let this be your campfire story. Let this be a place for nostalgia, a place of remembrance of the times spent stargazing underneath the evergreens, the times where your biggest dreams were bursting at the seams, a time where life was simpler.

This is a place for those stories and for the stories like that to come. Because even in this hyper-connected world we live in, I believe there are still moments like these out there. Moments where you can sit with your friends around the campfire, fish in the evening light, or enjoy a good meal together under the stars. You just have to go find them.

You might be wondering, what does Revelry Collection stand for? The definition of the world Revelry is “in celebration”. The reason for choosing this word was because this magazine is in celebration of Gods beautiful creation and all the people and places that make this world special. As far as the word collection, that came along for the ride as we expanded from just a newsletter idea to a fully fledged print magazine.

At the core of everything, the Revelry Collection Magazine was created for people who love good stories about adventure. Wether adventure to you is waking up at sunrise for first tracks on the mountain or of it is sleeping under the stars in your backyard. A common thread that unites all of our stories in the magazine is a search to find joy in simply being in the present moment.

As they say, the greatest gift of all is the present. So why not enjoy it, make the most of it? We spend our whole lives stressing over what to come. From going to college to getting a promotion at your job, or even retirement. We spend our whole lives wanting more. What if we were just simply able to find joy in the moment? To architect our lives so we can include these simple moments throughout our daily lives. Let’s stop letting the busyness of our lives take away from the life we are actually living.

That is something this magazine will hopefully be for you. A place where you can be in the present moment. A place where you can start to imagine a life where the simple things become the most important.

Like I said, this magazine isn’t for everyone. It is for the adventurous people who don’t let limitations stop them, but instead let their limitations fuel them.

Welcome to Revelry Collection / Volume 001. Let the adventure begin.

Signing off, Bentley Zylstra (Editor & Founder)

This story appeared in the sold out Revelry Collection / Volume 001.