Maria C. Lyons
Love After Life’s Journey Of Faith, Loss, and Second Chances
After forty-two years of marriage, Maria C. Lyons faced the unimaginable — losing the love of her life. What followed was a journey through grief, resilience, and rediscovery.
This deeply personal memoir reveals how faith, family, and courage can carry us through life’s darkest valleys and lead us toward unexpected joy. Raw, honest, and at times beautifully humorous, this story reminds us that love does not end with loss — and that it is never too late for a new beginning.
About the Author
Maria Concepcion Olloren Lyons
known as Maria C. Lyons, writes from lived experience. Born and raised in Cebu, Philippines, Maria was shaped by a strong military father and an entrepreneurial mother, learning early the values of resilience, integrity, and faith.
She moved to the United States in 1979, where she built a life centered on marriage, motherhood, business, and devotion to God. Together with her (now late) husband David, she raised five children, operated several family businesses, and embraced both seasons of prosperity and seasons of hardship.
Later in life, Maria and David adopted a baby girl from the Philippines, beginning parenthood again in their senior years. After David’s passing from leukemia, Maria faced widowhood with honesty and faith. What followed was a season of grief, rediscovery, online dating misadventures, spiritual growth, and ultimately — a second chance at love. She learned that heartache and hope can exist side by side.
About The Book
Love After Life’s Journey
is a heartfelt memoir about enduring love, deep grief, and the quiet strength that faith can provide in life’s most difficult seasons.
Maria C. Lyons built a life with her husband rooted in devotion, family, entrepreneurship, and an unwavering trust in God. Together they raised their children, endured financial collapse and recovery, and dreamed of growing old side by side. Their love was steady, imperfect, faithful — real.
But after more than four decades of marriage, Maria finds herself facing the unthinkable — saying goodbye to the man who had been her partner, best friend, and companion through every chapter of adulthood.
Why I Wrote This Book?
I did not set out to write a book. I began by writing because my heart needed somewhere to place the memories, the questions, the tears, and the quiet conversations that followed the loss.
Silence felt overwhelming, and writing became a way to breathe again.
As I walked through widowhood, I realized how many emotions are never spoken aloud. The loneliness. The guilt for laughing again. The fear of the future. The tension between honoring a lifelong love and wondering if joy is still allowed.
These are sacred and complicated spaces, and too often they are carried alone.
I believe they shouldn’t be and need a place to live. They should be expressed freely and fearlessly.
