From the Editor: September/October 2026

Fall has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. I love the shiny newness of it. Like January, it holds so much anticipation and possibility, only with less pressure and more apple pie. No one is asking if you’ve set resolutions or expecting you to publicize personal goals online. I can crack open a beautifully blank agenda and reorganize my pantry in private while still leaving the majority of my to-do list for another day.

My four-year-old is excited to move to a new group at daycare, make new friends and keep the old. My one-year-old hasn’t yet realized the transitions that come with fall. For her, every day is full of new experiences. Sometimes these are welcomed with a wide-eyed curiosity, other times less so. My husband will start a new job this month, one we are both excited about. As for me, my routines will be transformed by the ripples of all of the above. What is a mother if not a shock absorber? 

Don’t get me wrong: I love this part of being a mum. I did say fall is my favorite season. It presents us with the opportunity to not only withstand change, but to meet it with curiosity, the way my youngest does when you catch her at the right moment. My track record of surviving big life changes (much to my own disbelief) has been a great comfort when anxiety about the future bubbles up. Maybe you’ve felt both surprised and encouraged by your own resilience, too.

Each piece in this issue of Literary Mama is its own testament to the limitlessness of our experiences. The well of new stories never runs dry. I hope that in reading you are reminded that motherhood is not static—we are constantly offered the gift of change, alongside our growing children. Be proud of the resilience you’ve shown in every twist you’ve navigated, and trust it to carry you through whatever lies ahead in seasons to come.