A few weeks ago, I was doing what I do best…relaxing, laughing and just chilling out on Sandy Beach here in Rocky Point. I truly believe that each day is a fresh opportunity to meet new people on the beach and make some new friends. So, it was no surprise when my friends and I met two awesome ladies down on a girl’s weekend from Tucson who pretty much seemed to have the same agenda, relax and unwind! Roxanna and Nancy turned out to be really friendly and even offered us a beer, which we willingly accepted…what a way to win some friends!  As we were talking, I kept sensing that Roxanna had something to share with us.  Soon she mentioned that she had a foundation to help the needy children in Arizona. Having my own family’s foundation to help the needy here in Puerto Peñasco, I was instantly intrigued.  A short time later, I learned she was indeed Roxanna Green, the author of AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED and mother of the late Christina-Taylor Green who was taken from us at the tender age of 9 years old along with 5 other innocent people on January 8, 2011.  Christina-Taylor was pursuing one of her many life passions as she was attending the “Congress on Your Corner” speech being given at the local Safeway in Tucson by Arizona Congressman, Gabrielle Giffords. But, as it turned out, Christina-Taylor was such an extraordinary young lady…so amazing that God had other plans for her in heaven. Christina-Taylor Green conquered in her 9 years what most of us would consider would be a normal person’s lifetime of achievements.  So much so that her innocence and remarkable life story captivated not only Tucson or Arizona but our entire country!

I recently sat down with Roxanna Green to thank her for the autographed book I found on my Rocky Point doorstep one Sunday morning. I also wanted to honor what I have realized is Roxanna’s most amazing message for us all…LOVE AND HOPE WINS ALL! “Writing a book about the loss of your child is not something any parent would want to do”, Roxanna shyly admitted to me. However, after the outpouring of offers to write a book, she realized the book was going to be written with or without her input, so she concluded with the help of a family friend, Dr. Kevin Leman who himself is a #1 bestselling author,  that the very best way to honor Christina-Taylor would be write the book herself.  So Roxanna paired up with the famous author of over 400 books, Jerry B. Jenkins. The journey of putting pen to paper and writing AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED turned out to be a very therapeutic experience for Roxanna. She credits travelling back in time and revisiting her incredible daughter’s life from being chosen to represent Maryland at 2 years of age as part of one 9/11/01 born child from each state in the United States to travel to New York City for a photo shoot to being an amazing star athlete to outstanding student to student council leader at school. Christina-Taylor was wise well beyond her years and her zest for life was infectious to all those around her.

Roxanna grew up in Arizona and started coming to Rocky Point as a teenager. She always found peace at the sea and truly loves the ocean, the food, and the beautiful beaches of Rocky Point. She still finds her way back to Rocky Point and loves to share our town with her friends and family. The journey through AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED helped in the healing process for Roxanna. “It was truly a therapeutic experience. We were approached early on to do a movie about Christina-Taylor’s life but it was just too painful early on”, Roxanna shared with me. Roxanna and the Green family did have the opportunity to meet many people she would never have dreamt of, and her favorite by far was speaking on the phone and meeting in person our President and First Lady, Barrack and Michelle Obama. “I really felt like they were talking to me as a parent and knew their concern was genuinely sincere. They took the time to talk to my husband, my son and me and when I met them in person, I knew their hug was beyond warm”, Roxanna added. Roxanna was so moved, she took the title of our President’s speech he delivered in Tucson just days after the tragedy to be the title of her book, AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED. Meeting the President of the United States is not something she ever dreamed of, however the opportunity was once in a lifetime and was most bitter sweet.

Today, Roxanna enjoys working out, hiking, swimming, going to baseball games and travelling with her husband, John who is a professional baseball scout. She also enjoys going back east to see friends and family and of course to continue with her charity work in Arizona.  She presently is writing another book, this time a children’s book from her son Dallas’ perspective on Christina-Taylor.  The book will be based on Dallas’ voice from the view of a child and aimed for children. Roxanna founded and runs the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation which like Christina-Taylor is dedicated to the 3A’s: Academics, Athletics and the Arts. Specifically, Roxanna finds youth programs for the needy and assists them with monetary grants to help the children with the tools necessary to fulfill their dreams.

Roxanna’s faith in God saved her and allowed her to move forward to achieve remarkable results and truly make a positive impact in our world today.  AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED is a touching story of one special child that believed in herself and helped to make our world a better place through her hard work and dedication to her academics, athletics and arts. Like her daughter, Roxanna Green is one courageous person who did not let the most unspeakable of adversities hold her down. Instead, she rose up and shared through her heart-felt book, that even with life’s most challenging of times, you can rise above any situation.  Her strength is an inspiration to any reader. I highly recommend the book as a stellar example to us all on how to see the mountain of God’s blessings before us each day and to utilize each day to make a difference to others. AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED is a tell-all book that focuses mostly on the joy that Christina-Taylor brought to those around her each day rather than the dark side of the evil that does exist in the world within which we live. I highly recommend the moving book as an example to us all that each of us does have the inner strength to make a difference in our world and to set an example of peace, hope and love. AS GOOD AS SHE IMAGINED can be purchased through amazon.com. After reading the book, I sincerely wish you will be guided to help make a difference by logging onto her website The Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation at: http://www.christina-taylorgreen.org/.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, in the end it is still our beautiful world just as Christina-Taylor Green imagined it and believed it. You can achieve whatever you put your heart into in life. My guess is the book will one day become a motion picture honoring Christina-Taylor and her incredible life she shared directly and by example to those around her. We can all learn from a very bright 9 year old…love and hope wins all!

Until next month, may you find your strength to make a difference. It all starts with YOU! See you at the beach…ADIOS AMIGOS!!!