Houstonians from business, law, consulting, art, and journalism share their transitions through challenges in various stages of life. They have coped with parental neglect, failure to marry “on schedule,” conflicts between career and family, turf wars in competitive careers, retirement anxiety, and grievous losses. Magic is found in a teenage duckling’s transformation to swan, a stray thought that leads to international adoption, a rekindled romance, the power of a well-chosen wardrobe, and the humour of a “menopausal magnolia.” The writers belong to the Houston chapter of The Transition Network, a national organization for women “50 and forward.