After working in our family business for 33 years (with a brief retirement for 4 years), I finally retired… for good. On May 1, 2018, at 67, I started my first day of retirement with my coffee, a new yellow pad, and my favorite pen. On each page, I wrote a heading about what — or specifically who — is truly important to me: health, myself, husband, children, grandchildren, friends, church and ministry, and of course, all those to-dos that have been put off like forever. I sat, prayed, and began to fill in those pages with goals I wanted to accomplish.
I’ve done the health and medical work, am on a good (and successful) diet plan (12 lbs), spent some real quality time with those important “header” page people in my life, been to a family reunion, and to be quite honest, rested and de-stressed from life as a working gal. I set a goal to write actual letters and notes to people on my heart each week. (What’s 50 cents? 2 candy bars I don’t need!) In this fast-paced world of emails, texts, and all sorts of social media outlets, I thought I might return to the “old” way of doing things…. push back the keyboard, make some space on my desk, and write a letter. It felt good. Simple as that. But the response from those who received those letters and notes has been heartwarming and, yes, rewarding to me.
I have been looking for my niche. How can I give back? What can I say or do that might have an impact on the world around me? Well, I’ve jotted a lot of things down on post-it notes, journals, grocery lists, and the like. I have discovered that there’s something about me that is special. I hear or read short phrases that arrest me on the spot with their profound truth. I’ve shared some of these with friends who have encouraged me to do more. And so, this is where I begin to “do more”.
On 8-18-2018, I laid out my plan in the form of a circle where all of the “outlets” for what’s been stirring in me these last few months (truthfully, all my life). If you’d like to follow along on this journey, here is where we begin… and how far we’ve come!
On 10-24-2024, I launched my 365-day devotional, Where Did Me Go? A One-Year Devotional to Rediscover You
On 9-16-2025, I finally jumped into the river and joined TikTok to impart my love and blessing to the generations who will follow me.
Instagram: marypuplava Today I prayed about…
Blog: nanalovenotes.com Thoughts to encourage all generations
Website: handmaiden.org My inspirational site for Christian women
X: @nanamaryp Today I prayed about…
Facebook: Mary Best Puplava
Facebook: MaryPuplavaAuthor
Where Did Me Go? My Devotional’s Website
TikTok: @nanamaryp A Nana’s Blessing to the Younger Generations
I look forward to adding more features as time, talent, and trial and error permit.
Be blessed.
Love, Nana Mary P