WORDS: ADRIAN DE GROOT
PHOTO: MIA MEDAKOVIĆ
With this month’s issue of RYL we are celebrating 10 years of its existence, which is quite a laudatory that’s accomplishment by our beloved and dedicated Anima Mundi, as its founder Miomira Medaković Topalović calls herself.
So, first of all, big congratulations are in order! Fly the balloons! Light the candles! Cut the cake! Toast the champagne! And give Mia a big hug!
She made it this far in a decade, and I am sure not without certain ups and downs or even perhaps with doubts at certain stages. She may have applied the rule of “If at first you don‘t succeed, try, try, try again.” Whatever may be the case, I am sure this magazine will roll on for a very long time to come. So, what do I see as her secret of success?
I see this at least as two-fold: First of all, the beautiful, great, kind, determined, loving, intelligent, and charismatic personality of Mia and her multiple talents as editor-in-chief, content creator, writer, interviewer, business woman, photographer and travel consultant, whose background as a lawyer undoubtedly helped her avoid legal pitfalls, as the first firm foundation for success. Secondly, the entire philosophy of inclusiveness, beyond politics, religion, and you-name-it, as well as the openness towards different ways of thinking, philosophies and spirituality, which are all approached with a mind towards freedom of expression.
Obviously, with my Dutch name, I am not Serbian, and yet, I was asked during the past few years to write articles for this wonderful on-line magazine, which I hope has refreshed my reader’s lives, as that is THE intention of the magazine: REFRESH YOUR LIFE! The freedom I have felt personally as a regular contributor to RYL has been very wonderful. Since “the non-bossy boss” always trusted me, my writing became easy and worry-free. And she knows how to nudge you, even with a few words, if you need it.
As just hinted at, I have been so intrigued by the magazine’s rounded, broad and inclusive approach. From spirituality and religion to the arts, to photography, business, beauty, fashion, health, fitness, cooking, self-improvement, travel, astrology, and you-name-it. In short: all things worthy of being “refreshed”. I see it as both a men’s and women’s magazine, in the sense that it is – in a way – many magazines under one umbrella. In the United States, I worked for about ten years as an editor for a magazine that also covered many topics, but it was decidedly also very different, but at least I can say I am not a total stranger to this plethora of covered topics. RYL is more non-conventional, unique and you could even say a bit radical, but of course in a welcome way.
While the RYL umbrella is mostly Serbian, it benefits from occasional sprinkles in other languages. It remains my wish that someday the Serbian articles will all have English summaries. At any rate, it’s only natural for the visionary Mia to seek ways to make RYL grow and expand its coverage to truly become even more inclusive. I’m sure she will succeed in this regard.
And: I so much appreciate the “heartistic” component of RYL. What do I mean by this word? Simply this: RYL has as vision, even as mission, if you want to use that word, towards a unifying inclusive approach to all topics, with the goal of bringing people together, and by promoting goodwill, peace, love, gratitude, appreciation, tolerance, non-judgment; in short: all the kind of values of the human heart we long to see manifested in our society. Her introductory essays testify to this vision.
Thus, RYL even aims to be a peacemaker and I think this may very well be her greatest asset: to inspire us all to greatness, to something of a much higher dimension and vibration. As humans, after all, aren’t we are all called to raise our vibrations of love, forgiveness, tolerance, peace, and joy to ever higher levels? Having a magazine like RYL to assist us in that bighearted endeavor is therefore most welcome.
To this end, every month a surprising and often very unique new theme is introduced by Mia and presented to her contributors. These are often thought provoking and challenging essays. Some of my favorite topics have been “Give me Back my Clothes”, “Be YOUnique”, “Memories of the Future”, “Years are not Counted in the Wind”, “How You Speak Describes Your Soul” and “Love Yourself.” Do you know of other magazines that have such titillating themes? I have therefore a suggestion for Mia: Gather all those themes, all those introductory essays, edit them a little and then publish them in some form, even as a printed book, together with beautiful photos.
Does RYL thus have a “mission”? Whatever the right term is, the answer is a straight: “Yes”! Despite the world’s current confusions, all voices of hope must remain strong, no matter what, and so, in that sense I wish TYL a very bright future, to be contributing beacon of ever more light and hope, and to foster unity, peace, goodwill, altruism, forgiveness, gratitude, and above all Love, among its readers and way beyond.
Srećan 10. rođendan!
