There’s a rich supply of soul in this town that too often goes unnoticed. My goal as Life editor this semester is to give that spirit some attention so it might move you.

I didn’t recognize the unique value Pullman has to offer until I started writing for The Daily Evergreen, and I’ve lived here a long time. My professor parents moved our family to Pullman when I was six years old.

The first summer I had a license I explored every paved and unpaved road in a 20-mile radius looking for something sensational. I remember thinking, “That’s it. I know this place completely. I’ve looked under every rock and that’s all there is.”

So wrong. I’d love to tell sixteen-year-old Maggie how to find the magic. If you want to live here and have some spirit about it, getting to know the terrain is a necessary start. But the really powerful, precious value of this town is alive in local movers and shakers.

Some of these people have that magic that sticks with you. They’re just three warm up questions away from blowing your mind and impacting your way of thinking forever.

Artist’s muses, cultural icons and the subjects of national headlines usually have this magic. It’s something indescribable and captivating.

I was lucky to encounter a handful of magic people in my life before the Evergreen. Since I first picked up a reporter’s notebook, I’ve met 20. I’ve interviewed so many people whose lives could fill novels, whose distinct dispositions naturally inspire.

Believe me, there are sensational people all around you. They live down the block. They breathe the air you breathe, and they live out their fascinating lives on the same set you do. They’re not famous, and it’s better that way.

They’re exclusive. They’re working just for us, volunteering just for us, painting and dancing just for us. They’re cooking your meals. They’re dedicating their spark to this community.

If you go out and find one of these people, they’re liable to give you their full attention just because you’re here, and so are they.

I hope as you flip or scroll through this section, the magic I experienced as a Life writer jumps out at you. I hope you can feel the warmth that our local saints emit in person and through their quotes. I hope you feel the funk and unconventional beauty of our local kooks.

In these pages you’ll find lots of tangible opportunities. You’ll learn about businesses and clubs that spark your interest. You’ll see events involving art, food, music and service that can fill your days with joy and meaning if you let them. I hope you try things.

But more than that, I hope you get a peek at the soul of this town, which is so dear to me. You’ll find this place full of people who are overflowing with passion and care, and who want to impact your life.