Blog - Cathy Arroyo, Author

Aedan at Air Assault school graduation with mom and stepdad Colonel Arroyo

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Our Military Life Journey: Lessons in Strength, Sacrifice, and Love

Our Military Life Journey: Lessons in Strength, Sacrifice, and Love I grew up in a family connected to the military, but I didn’t experience military life day to day. My father served in the Army at the end of World War II and returned to civilian life before I was born. Several relatives followed similar paths. My uncles served in the Vietnam War, and my cousins joined the National Guard. I understood military service in theory, and I respected it. However, I did not fully understand the weight military life places on families. Families make quiet sacrifices that rarely receive recognition. A NEW CHAPTER — AND A NEW CALLING Everything

May 23, 2026 No Comments

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A Lifetime at the Indianapolis 500 — From Childhood Traditions to VIP Race Day Magic

A Lifetime at the Indianapolis 500 — From Childhood Traditions to VIP Race Day Magic Growing up in Indianapolis, the roar of engines was more than just sound — it was the town’s heartbeat. The Indianapolis 500 wasn’t just something that happened once a year. It was the event. The countdown to race day carried the same weight and anticipation as any major holiday. Some of my earliest memories lead me straight to the track. My family piled into the car – packed coolers, and grabbed snacks. We joined what felt like the entire city heading toward the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Everyone picked a favorite driver. We claimed our spots

May 12, 2026 No Comments

Cathy Arroyo and Stacey Rogers Larsen at Pan American World Airlines graduation from flight attendant school in 1990

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Earning My Wings – My Year as a Pan Am Flight Attendant in New York City

It all started with an ad in the paper. I had been looking for a “real job” because I would graduate in a few months from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Then something stopped me in my tracks: Pan American World Airways — Now Hiring Flight Attendants. At the time, Pan Am wasn’t just another airline. It defined international travel. It represented glamour, adventure, and a passport to the world, all wrapped into one. The interview took place about an hour away from campus. I convinced a friend to come with me. We thought, “Why not?” We drove to a giant convention hall where maybe a thousand

April 14, 2026 No Comments

Colonel Dennis Arroyo and Cathy Arroyo at Col. Arroyo's retirement ceremony

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Evaluating What is Most Important to You and Making Choices for the Life You Want to Live

Evaluating What is Most Important to You and Making Choices for the Life You Want to Live Life really isn’t about what we have – it’s about what we choose. We don’t always think of it that way. It’s easy to believe that life just happens to us, that circumstances dictate what’s possible. But over time, I’ve learned that a full, joyful life is almost always the result of intentional choices – often small ones, made repeatedly, and sometimes quietly, without much fanfare. For my husband and me, one of the clearest examples of this is how we’ve chosen to live modestly so that we can travel. Early in our

March 31, 2026 No Comments

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When Growing Up Was Simpler – in the 1970s and 1980s

It was different growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn’t just the clothes we wore, the music we listened to, or the absence of computers and cell phones. Life itself felt simpler. We spent most of our time outside. We rode our bikes everywhere. Neighborhood friends gathered for games like hide-and-seek, and summer evenings were for catching fireflies. We didn’t have a curfew. We went home when it turned dark. Winters included hours upon hours building snow forts and sledding. We didn’t have to check in with our parents and they didn’t track our cell phones. There was a freedom that seems rare today. There were no bike

March 28, 2026 No Comments