Dear Jasper & Milo,

When I was in my early twenties, I always imagined the day I would meet you. I used to think about you a lot, and what you would be like. Together, you’re one of the major reasons I started map magazine. I remember thinking to myself, I wanted my kids to be exposed to a world where you felt inspired to pursue your dreams free of judgement. I wanted you to be surrounded by and have access to positive media.

Having grown up in a third-world country in Papua New Guinea, I am highly aware that I was lucky to live in Australia. My parents had given me a great childhood, a good education, provided me love and support, and exposed me to so much opportunity. Not a day goes by where I do not think we are so lucky to live in a country like Australia.

When I was 23 years old, I remember being affected at the way mainstream media worked (celebrity paparazzi, negativity, spin) and its constant output of negativity. A funny man called George Burns once said, “Look to the future, because that is where you’ll spend the rest of your life.” Negativity was not something I wanted to be around as I did not believe it was good for you.

So I thought about what I wanted to do with my life. At the time, I was scared and confused.

One day, I thought what could be better than having a magazine and interviewing people who were chasing their dreams in life, and learning from their success and failures. I thought if I could do this, it could help me, inspire others and offer a choice to the negative news. As a dad I could then share it all with you.

I knew nothing about starting a magazine but decided I could learn. When others laughed at my idea, it fuelled my dream even more. I went back to university. I taught myself to design, write and sell. When the idea seemed out of reach, I reminded myself to dream.

So, on July 6, 1999, I started map magazine.

Thank you Kath (your mum) for believing and supporting my idea. Without your mother none of this would ever have happened. You should feel really proud of her and always make her feel special. Thank you to Peter T, John, Ange, Toby, Susan and Antonella who also believed in the idea and helped make map magazine come to life. Without these people it would never have happened. Those days were fun and tough, and I remember them fondly. It still seems like yesterday that we were all sitting upstairs in the Brisbane Arcade office looking out over the Queen Street Mall, trying to convince people of the need for map in Brisbane. Back then it was a seven-day-a-week love affair, and the hours never stopped. Leaving the office at 10:00 pm was quite normal! Thank you to Jimmy Bazianas from Red Square for being map’s first signed advertiser.

I will be thanking Stefan for helping me in those early years of map. We always set out to support the creative industries – the arts in particular. His unquestionable love and passion for the arts helped map magazine achieve so much in the community.

The hardest part about map was back then it took a long time for businesses in Brisbane to warm to the idea. A year on, it was a struggle convincing people to advertise in map and it was taking its toll on the team. I thought we couldn’t last. Then a person called Wendy joined the team. She believed in our mission. We never looked back!

Along the way many others joined and left their indelible marks too.

Thank you Mikki (and Cecilia) for helping me raise the standard and editorial quality of map magazine. Thank you for caring. Thank you for being selfless and taking the time to teach others graciously. Most of all you upheld the spirit of map magazine and for this I am so grateful. Thank you Chrisanthi for arriving as a 21 year old and creating such an impact. She started out selling map and we have watched her grow over the years. I am so proud to see her finally take on her new role as editor. I am thankful for her commitment to map and for caring so deeply about it. She gave and continues to give us the chance to grow and be great at what we do.

A big thank you to Wendy. Wendy has lead the team for almost 14 years. Her dedication to map helped us survive and prosper. With her commitment and involvement map grew, and to this day she continues to inspire and shape map.

The day she arrived was map’s luckiest day. I am forever indebted to her.

And lastly, thank you again to your mum Kath for supporting me wholeheartedly and for enduring the ups and downs of map over the past 15 years.

We certainly shared an incredible journey and could not have done it without her by my side.

I bet you didn’t know this … your grandfather, Eric, has been the longest serving employee of map magazine and I’m so lucky to have shared the journey with him and your narnie Del.

So, Jazzy and Milo I give to you today my final issue of map magazine. I have upheld the integrity and spirit of map magazine for 15 years and now it’s time to rest and share my stories with you.

It’s been tough but most of all it’s been fun. I got the chance to live my dream – something I never imagined in my wildest dream! With 167 issues, more than 1100 dreamers have graced map’s pages with their words of wisdom, and I have interviewed so many amazing people. They have taught me much. One day I hope to share with you the many stories of the people I have interviewed. I know without a doubt that within the pages of the past 15 years of map magazine there is so much to be inspired by and most of all … enough to encourage you to dream.

Remember to dream.

I love you both with all my heart. Your dad, Carl 🙂

And to the readers of map magazine …

Thank you for letting us occupy your minds for all these years. I never took the words we printed, nor the paper we used for granted. I believe that media has the power to change the world. It shares our stories, it drives our culture and it shapes our lives. I hope we have nurtured your spirits with positivity.

 

“When we are mindful of every nuance of our natural world, we finally get the picture: that we are only given one dazzling moment of life here on Earth, and we must stand before that reality both humbled and elevated, subject to every law of our universe and grateful for our brief but intrinsic participation with it.”

–

Elizabeth Gilbert