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When the Empty Nest Fills Again: FindingGrace in Life’s Unexpected Turns By Stephanie Bell When my daughter left for college, I felt a mix of pride, excitement, and something I couldn’t quite name, a quiet ache that sat just beneath the surface. After decades of raising children, the house suddenly felt too quiet, too tidy, too still. Like so many women, I thought the “empty nest” marked a new chapter of independence. But I didn’t expect that chapter to take such an unexpected turn. About a...

By Orly Benaroch Light Not long ago, I sat in a room remembering my friend Hortencia Manzano Mammen, who we lost far too soon after multiple health challenges. She was only 59. We met in 2020 while her husband was volunteering for the presidential campaign. We would hold potluck meetings at her beautiful home, always decorated with a festive theme. Hortencia had a sparkle—an energy and warmth that drew people in. She had a way of making everyone feel special, like they truly mattered. Now...

Reflections from a Former Training Captain on the 2020 Harris Presidential Campaign in San Diego By Orly Benaroch Light I volunteered as a training captain for Kamala Harris’s 2020 presidential campaign in San Diego. At a fundraiser hosted by a local women’s rights advocate, I had the chance to meet her in person. I felt hopeful about Harris; she was a former prosecutor and sitting senator, offering what seemed like real, sensible change for the country. Back then, I was convinced Kamala...