Full Circle Moments

Hello all! I hope you’re all ready for the holidays! As we wrap up another year, I encourage you to reflect on the moments that made you smile, the memories that warmed your heart, and the experiences that reminded you of what really matters. Tuck those memories away somewhere special—you’ll want to revisit them often.

This year has brought a few changes here at Women’s Edition. I turned 70 on July 1st—a milestone that inspired me to start planning for the future. I truly love what I do, but I also know I don’t want to still be doing this when I’m 80! So, I’ve begun a thoughtful succession plan. My daughter, Carissa Rosa, who worked with Women’s Edition for 14 years after college, has returned to the team. Having her back has been a joy. The plan is for me to continue here for about five more years, after which Carissa will carry on the Women’s Edition legacy.

Working with my daughter again has been a wonderful experience. She brings such energy and creativity—it reminds me of those early days when I first launched the magazine. Carissa was only seven years old back then, so she’s never really known life without Women’s Edition. She grew up understanding that the first ten days of every month were sacred—deadline time! She started out as my little helper, stuffing envelopes, sorting magazines, and doing whatever needed to be done after school.

Fast forward to this month, and my 20-year-old granddaughter, Savannah, has joined us to lend a hand. Seeing three generations of women—myself, my daughter, and now my granddaughter—working side by side fills me with such pride. Savannah’s role is, of course, more involved than Carissa’s was at age seven, but the spirit of teamwork is exactly the same. My husband, Manny, is pitching in, too—organizing distribution lists, running errands, and, perhaps most importantly, cheering us on. And something tells me it won’t be long before my 14-year-old granddaughter, McKenna, joins the fun as well!

Carissa and I have fallen into a natural rhythm again. As I told her, this phase of our working relationship is different from when she first joined me years ago. She’s now in training to become the next publisher, and there’s more to learn than ever before. We start our mornings with positive affirmations, go over our task lists, celebrate what we accomplished the day before, and set our intentions for the new day. It’s an uplifting way to begin.

I’m so proud of how quickly she’s rediscovered her skills and confidence. After ten years away, the first week was a little rusty, but by the end of her third week she turned to me with a smile and said, “Mom… we’ve got this!” My heart sang.

Transitions are part of life, and I’ve learned to embrace them. Manny has been a big influence in that. When we met more than thirteen years ago, I used to dread change. I was the type who’d say, “I like things just the way they are!” Looking back, I think I was afraid of change. But over the years, I’ve learned that change means growth. It can be exciting, challenging, and deeply rewarding.

This new chapter with Women’s Edition is all of that—and more. It’s gratifying to see how far we’ve come and to imagine what the next generation will do with the magazine. I can’t wait to see what’s around the corner.

As we move into the holiday season, I wish each of you joy, peace, and connection. May your days be filled with laughter, love, and the kind of memories that get passed down through generations. Take time to rest, recharge, and simply be. We’ll meet again in the new year.