2024: Life, Work, Love, Family

Introspection and reflection challenge all of us to slow down, breathe, take stock of a year, a decade, a lifetime of experiences and relationships. By sharing, we learn from each other, inspire each other, inspire and challenge our readers to realize the gifts we receive and manifest.

Melisa Cull
An important client relationship
One of the best gifts that I have received from my years working with HERLIFE Magazine is the client relationships. There are too many to list them all but here is one that I’d like to highlight in this season of gratitude.

Inspired Closets former owners Jim and Christine Fee are one of many relationships. They started out trying a 1/3 Holiday Gift Guide with us before the pandemic. This small ad turned into years of contracts, Highlights, Spotlights and so many stories of their success. During those years, Christine and I would meet for lunch just to catch up and connect. I had the opportunity to introduce her to two of my dear friends looking to transition in their careers. Both of them became an integral part of her sales team. They were able to help grow their numbers to the point that Christine was able to retire and sell the company to Jen Macias-Wetzel. Jen has now taken the company and run with its continued success. Inspired Closets is in growth mode!

This story came full circle last week when I bumped into Christine at a local restaurant and we embraced. She was treating her grandkids to lunch and introduced me to her family as a friend. Sure, we are a healthy business and strive to make our sales numbers. Our team knows that relationships matter most and this brings me the greatest joy as I reflect over the year.

Suzanne Moody
Valuable relationships
This past year, I have come to deeply appreciate the joy of spending time with family, especially with my parents. My husband, Tom, and I make regular visits to see them, and I’ve cherished attending KU football games with my dad, an experience that brings him so much happiness. In the hustle of working full time, I’ve learned that life is too short to miss out on moments with the ones we love. Family time has become not just a priority, but a gift. For this, and for the simple, treasured memories we create together, I am profoundly grateful.

Cindy McDermott
A travel experience like no other
“Traveling, it leaves you speechless, and then turns you into a storyteller.” These words weren’t from a blog post last week but composed by the Muslim medieval writer Ibn Battuta, whose travels in the 1400s would have covered 44 modern-day countries.

Battuta wrote of being speechless yet sharing adventurous tales, but I’m struggling with the storyteller role. My husband and I ventured to Athens, Greece, and the Mediterranean in October of this year. I cannot describe, verbally or in writing, these magnificent structures that I had enjoyed only in textbooks. The majesty of the Parthenon is breathtaking, awesome. In Ephesus, we stood at the theater where the Christian apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians for three years. My words are wanting; I can’t define a fraction of what I took in through my eyes, ears and soul.

My storytelling abilities honed over several decades fall short in describing what I experienced. But traveling allows us to open doors to different cultures, spanning ancient times to the present day. If we allow ourselves to dig deep, traveling enables us to gain a better understanding of present-day people, and most importantly, ourselves. Battuta had it right. The fun of travel is changing thoughts without fear by sharing our life stories.

Marilyn Isaminger
A challenge self-imposed
I confess, I’m a river rat. Weeks or weekends at our cottage on a deep, cold lake are refreshing, and time spent with family creates many memories.
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n late 2022, after losing my precious niece Reagan and my parents in 15 months, closing two estates and pivoting through COVID, I realized it was time to take better care of myself. I started Pilates classes the first week of 2023 and six months later began working with an athletic trainer. What’s the first thing that happens when you speak a goal out loud – get back on water skis this summer? You become accountable and doubly committed. In June, I popped up behind a tame pontoon boat for the first time in 15 years. In 2024, my family with three active, athletic boys showed up with a MasterCraft NXT wake boat. Ante upped. A pontoon’s wake is a ripple. The wake boat’s is an ocean wave. The wipeouts are spectacular. But success is sweet. And skiing that wake with those boys is even sweeter! Next challenge: wake surfing.

Elana Bell
Work is truly vocation
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I was so certain of this I never thought of being anything else. So, being a graphic designer for HERLIFE gives me the opportunity to do what I enjoy every day, all year. I like to make things look nice. I like to create. This process culminates in tangible and fairly satisfying results of my creative process each month.

BONUS: I can do this job even when I am not at my healthiest. I face health challenges, so in some respects, doing this job keeps me sane and improves my mental health. It also reminds me to appreciate the small joys in life, like finding a fun new font or a cute background pattern that can really spice up a layout!

Michelle Carder
Three words to describe the past year
If I had to pick one word to sum up the past year, it would be love—because, in so many ways, it’s been the glue that held everything together. This year, I had the joy of watching our precious daughter marry the love of her life. Their commitment and bond have only grown stronger and seeing them embark on this new chapter together has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

But love this year wasn’t just about romantic connections. It was about the love that surrounded us during the most difficult moments too. My daughter-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and watching her go through treatment was heartbreaking. When she completed her chemo regimen and began her recovery, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude. People rallied together to offer support, prayers, comfort and care—not only for my daughter-in-law but also for my son, their baby and our entire family. This experience reminded me just how deeply we are all connected.

We faced the challenges of caring for aging parents. And in those moments, I was reminded of the deep, steady love that keeps us going, even when life feels uncertain. It’s the kind of love that may not always be spoken but is felt in small, everyday gestures. The kind of love that drives you to do whatever it takes to help those you care about.
When I think of resilience, I think of my family. This past year has been filled with highs and lows, and, through it all, resilience has been the thread that held us together. It showed up in profound ways and there were moments when the weight of it all felt heavy, but what stood out to me was the incredible strength we found in each other. For me, resilience also meant showing up every day, even when life didn’t look the way I expected it to. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about never falling down. It’s about finding the courage to rise every time we do. It’s the quiet acts of courage, love, and support that build resilience, even in everyday challenges.

The word impact resonates deeply with me. It’s not just the significant moments that shape our lives, but the everyday acts of love and support that leave a lasting imprint. Watching my mother recover from multiple strokes this year has been extremely impactful and nothing short of a miracle! Seeing her regain her strength, both physically and emotionally, filled me with a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude. Her determination to regain her strength and independence is a constant reminder of the power of perseverance. And it’s shown me that true impact often comes from quiet battles—the ones fought in our hearts and minds, the ones that require us to dig deep and refuse to give up. Witnessing my daughter-in-law battle breast cancer, something I myself fought years ago, brought everything full circle. The pain of seeing her endure the same struggle I once faced was unbearable at times, but it also highlighted the deep bonds that are formed through shared experiences. I knew I had to be strong for her, but what I didn’t expect was discovering my own inner strength in the process. Witnessing close friends battle life-threatening illnesses was impactful. These are people who have been a part of my life for years and seeing them fight for their health in ways I never thought I would have to witness has forever changed me. Some have won their battles, defying the odds, and their courage and strength have been nothing short of inspiring. Others, tragically, lost their fight. With the sadness, I will remember the impact of their lives—of their love, laughter and strength.

I have also been extremely fortunate to be a part of HERLIFE Magazine for 15 years. It has been the most rewarding career. I have been blessed to work with an amazing publisher and support staff and network of wonderful clients who have become dear friends. Their kindness and unwavering support have lifted me in ways I never expected, reminding me that the connections we make, both personal and professional, are what truly sustain us.

The impact of love and support of my husband, family, and friends (you know who you are) has been a constant source of strength, care and humor. Their love has been a steady foundation.