life transitions | Reflections From the Heart

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March 10, 2026 · 2:16 PM

Texas or Bust

After our move from Denver to Miami, we settled into a duplex apartment. The small amount of money we had saved quickly dwindled. Donny couldn’t find steady work, and my waitressing tips barely kept us afloat.

Six months later:

“Pack your bags; we’re moving,” Donny announced out of the blue.

“What? Another move? Where to now?” I wailed and braced for the answer.

“The Lone Star State, he shrugged. “Jobs are booming in Houston.” He left to tie up loose ends for our big move.

I put Anna Marie down for a nap. I plopped on the floor surrounded by boxes Donny had gathered, waiting to fill. I wept instead of packing, wanting to pull my hair out in frustration.

What are we going to do in Texas? Live out on the prairie? Herd a bunch of cattle? Ride horses? Donny might think himself a cowboy, but I ain’t no cowgirl.

I found myself talking to God. I pleaded with Him to change the circumstances. I wanted help to survive one more day, another move—to Timbuktu for all I knew. Was it selfish for me to want my little girl to know the love of her great-grandparents? Was it wrong for me to want her to know her humorous grandpa and enjoy Gloria’s pampering?

Angry. I threw things into suitcases and boxes. Pointless. Coming and going. Didn’t I moved enough times as a kid? As I fumed and tossed stuff around, an envelope fell out of my dusty Bible and dropped onto my lap. A letter! From Aunt Irma; written after I’d returned from New York, after my “great escape” from Donny. I sat crossed-legged on the floor and re-read her letter, allowing her words to digest:

I pray that Donny’s heart will soften, so that he learns that our being imperfect beings that we are, we tend to make mistakes. Even with the best of intentions. May God put it in his heart these truths, so that he will be able to forget that you left him when you were hurt and so confused. And that the act no way lessened the love you have for him.

Mary Ann, may he ever remember that a woman is not to ever be mistreated by hitting, but to be held, respected, and loved as someone precious as a part of himself. As for you dear, please remember; no one wins in a fight. And having the last word in an argument is not important. We love you and miss you and Anna Marie.

God bless you, Aunt Irma and your uncle Jimmy.

I re-folded the page and tucked it away. With a fresh determination to put all self-pity aside, I went back to my packing.

The above is an excerpt of Chapter 22 “Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace“

That day I learned something about how God works in the middle of our chaos. Sometimes the answer to our prayers doesn’t arrive as a miracle or a changed circumstance. Sometimes it slips quietly out of the pages of a dusty Bible. It may appear as a letter written by someone who loves us.

Looking back now, I realize that move to Texas wasn’t just another exhausting chapter in a string of moves. It was one more place where God was teaching me grit… and a little grace.

Life has a funny way of surprising us with reminders. This happens just when we think we can’t take one more step. For me, it was Aunt Irma’s words on a worn piece of paper.

Have you ever had a moment like that—when something small stopped you in your tracks and shifted your perspective?

I’d love to hear your stories. Sometimes the lessons that steady us the most are the ones we almost overlook

Life. Time. Aging.

As I approach another birthday, I reflect on the fleeting nature of life. I consider the urgency of time and the grace of aging. Through scripture, memories, and personal growth, I’m reminded that our best days may still lie ahead.

LIFE:

~ has many twists and turns. It is fleeting and fragile. In an instant, it can be gone! We don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Hurricanes
Flooding
Earthquakes
Riots/Shootings
Tragedies
Sickness

Are we seizing the day?

So many times, I feel aimless, inadequate, and inept. Yet, I know I have a purpose and a calling. Think about what your own Desires, Goals, and Plans are.

We can all ask ourselves: What is my purpose? What is my destiny in life? Are they obtainable, worthy, and healthy? Are they Your plans, Lord?

God gave us the gift of LIFE; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of giving.

To succeed in LIFE, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.

Now the Bible says: But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Matt 6:24 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

TIME:

~ In my younger years, I felt invincible – TIME was my friend.

Now TIME feels like a constant reminder that it’s running out! In the wink of an eye, it can be taken away. Looking back, I regretted those times when I foolishly vacillated from doing what I knew was right. Next thing I knew, it was too late to:

Undo a wrong; never got the chance to say I’m sorry
Undo a hurt; left with regrets
Tell someone that I love and appreciate them

My husband says: It’s never too early, it’s always too late.

Don’t you wish you had forgiven quickly? Made peace with another sooner? Loved harder? I. Sure. Do.

We must use TIME as a tool, not as a crutch.

Know the true value of TIME; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

AGING:

~ As a senior myself now, I can’t help but reflect on the aging process …

I muse about my earlier years in having to grow up so fast. I wasn’t given a choice. Then, in my teens and young adulthood, I struggled in a painful, unrequited marriage, raising four children.

Next thing I knew, my twenties were gone, and my 15-year marriage was deteriorating. Separated and divorced in my thirties, I felt like a failure. But you know what? The world did not end. Thank God for new beginnings! By my mid-thirties, I found true love and remarried; Mark and I are presently in our 31st year.

In my early forties, the season changed again, and I welcomed the joys of grand parenting. They’ve brought such delight to my heart and kept me on the go!

In my fifties, I experienced the notorious body aches and pains. During this time, we cared for a dear little centenarian around the clock. She taught me about living one day at a time: in having a 90% attitude and 10% circumstance.

In my sixties, like a leaf in the wind, I had to let go. I sadly said so long to my mama. You never feel ready. You can’t help but think about the “should’ve,” “could’ve,” and “would’ve! And wouldn’t you know, within three months after that, I embraced the wonders of great-grand parenting. And she is GREAT.

As I reflect on this aging process, I realize I still don’t have all the answers. However, I believe I’ve learned a thing or two about what life has dealt me. Someone said, “Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.”

The body has a way of reminding me about “aging” whenever I throw my back out or pop my knee. And yes, that dreaded mirror cannot tell a lie. I’ll notice a line here and another wrinkle there. I gaze upon certain areas of my physique and wonder: How can this be? Who are you? What in the world is that? Where did “it” go? Why is this happening? And when did that change?

I’m especially saddened when I think about loved ones as they became frail and aged …

A dear aunt from New York prayed and believed in my writing project from the start. She had prayed that it would come to fruition. Sadly, she became ill and never got the chance to read my memoir after it was published.
I could go to my grandparents about anything. They were my backbone. They loved me unconditionally. How I miss them!
After observing Mama’s lack of mobility, she came to live with us. After about 5 years, she needed surgery, becoming bedridden afterwards. Then, a few months later, she sadly passed.
Daddy, who lives in Florida, recently turned 92. I feel I don’t get to see him enough. He is in the beginning stages of dementia. I pray he never forgets me.

Truthfully, some of my dreams have reached their expiration date. Realistically, I can’t go back there. However, this passage speaks to me and tells me to make each day count: Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom

I heard someone share about his fears. He felt his best days were behind him. He feared he had not achieved what he set out to do. He worried about being a middle-aged person, wondering if he added up to anything.

So naturally, I be thinking: What legacy will I leave behind when I’m finished with this race? What I do today, will it count for something worthwhile tomorrow? When I am long gone, will I merely be a faded memory, or will I burn in someone’s heart? Will my deeds be forgotten? Buried? Or lost?

We must remember to live in the present,

not in the yesteryears or in the tomorrow.

We must laugh often, love deeply, pray sincerely,

and believe that our best days are before us.

Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present. Do not regret growing older; it is a privilege denied by many.

Let’s live our lives with integrity and purpose. This life can beat us down with trials, sorrows, and debilitating worries. When it seems hopeless, let God’s messages about our future for the believer bring hope, which can deeply encourage us.

1 Corinthians 2:9

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Our heart’s desire is to hear the Lord say one day: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

And one more thing: Know that God’s timing is perfect. He’s never early, and He’s never late!

As I continue this journey, I’m working to bring my memoir to life in Spanish. I aim to honor my heritage and reach hearts across cultures. If you feel led to support this vision, I invite you to visit the Translation Project and help make it a reality: 👉 👉 >>> GoFundMe <<<