MARLENE RATLEDGE BUCHANAN

lives enthusiastically as a woman , wife , mother , teacher , and writer . She is quick to say that she planned to marry someone old and rich but only got old . However , Marlene knew on her first date with Snell , her husband , that he was the one for her to the point she proposed . After his refusal , she considered getting him pregnant . They are parents to a beautiful olive skin son . James suffered a lack of oxygen during delivery , resulting in him having special needs . She refers to James ' condition as a special gift . After thirty-four years of being in public education , Marlene retired in 2007 . In the classroom , she earned the name " Ms . Rat ," which garnered her a collection of rat figurines and collectibles over the years from her students . As a Southern Humorist , Marlene has entertained readers with her observations about life through her column , Hey Y ' all , published in the Gwinnett Citizen in Georgia since 2015 . Marlene returns with a story of personal reflection upon experiencing an accident , “ Fall , Should I Or Shouldn ’ t I Be Grateful ?,” in her unique commentary column , “ Anything Goes with Mama Marlene .”

DR . RANDI D . WARD

is our editor-in-chief extraordinaire ! At 73 years young , she has been a “ mother ” to hundreds of children during her 37 years as a Georgia Language Arts educator . Her teaching journey has taken her to Cairo , Egypt , where she started several language schools teaching ESOL . Randi is also an African animal advocate and environmentalist . She is an honorary president of World Peace Forest ( Africa ) and USA Regional Director for Africa Nomads Conservation . Her passion for life and humanity has earned her many awards and honors . Randi has recently received the IAOTP Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into their Hall of Fame . Her life ' s philosophy is “ Believe ! Don ' t dream big ; dream bigger ! The sky is the limit , so reach for the stars !” Randi has traveled to 60 countries on four continents . From one of her destinations came her memoir that encapsulated her view of what life is all about , Because I Believed In Me - My Egyptian Fantasy Came True . Today , Randi is a master editor and visionary book consultant . By the way , as a mother and forever teacher , she is making sure I am “ crossing my t ' s and dotting my I ’ d ”… Ha , Ha , Ha !

ANN PAPAYOTI is the founder of SkyView Coaching . She is an international life , leadership , and relationship coach , speaker , writer , educator , and co-author of The Gift of Shift , an intimate self-help book . Ann is an Expert Contributor for YourTango Media and has been featured in MSN , Google , Yahoo , and Apple News . She has spoken at conferences , summits , and commemorations , both live and online , throughout North America . Ann captivates , educates , and inspires thousands through sharing her personal experiences of loss , transition , and triumph and helps them attain their personal and professional goals . Known among her friends as the go-to girl if you are experiencing problems , Ann could have started her own ‘ Dear Annie ’ column decades ago . Little did she know then that listening with empathy was an invaluable , innate skill that would become the foundation of her life ’ s work . Ann ’ s remarkable life journey and passion for family love are hallmark examples . Ann returns with very

insightful and empowering advice to help us make adjustments necessary in accommodating challenging situations among families and loved ones that may arise during the upcoming holiday season in “ Angst in Austin ” in her advisory column , “ Dear Annie .”

6 | Inspirations for Better Living • November 2023