Note: I have a ridiculous sense of humor. I find the silliest things hilarious. Have ALWAYS been this way. 56 years later, I have not improved.
See?
Over time, I have learned to accept this about me. I am a super serious person that MUST laugh on the daily. I find myself telling myself dumb jokes, in the middle of the night.
STOP explaining yourself. Just BE you. Enjoy being you. Even the parts you think folk will think odd. They may. So what? More will find you as delightful as you should be finding me just now.
Life is short. Enjoy being who you are. Remember:
You are worthwhile.
You are worthy.
You are worth it. Okay, I think I am done for now encouraging folk. This has been an especially difficult day. I promised myself I would encourage the most when y heart was the heaviest. We got this, beloveds.
I have gone through the gamut in the past hour or so trying to figure out how to pay January’s rent, there cc payments, power bill, etc with 143 dollars. 🤣
Since I couldn’t do so, beloveds, I got out of bed, turned on the lights, put on my headphones and began blaring some uplifting music.
I admit my bank account has scared the bejeez out of me.
Then, I applied for more jobs. Fingers crossed these are legit and not scam as others have been.😳🙏
I told myself I I REFUSE to despair. Despair is NOT an option.
I am 56 and have been working steadily since I was 14 or 15. I only had one job interruption due to my home care client passing away. It took 11 hairy months to find a job and I did that another 14 and a half years.
I have learned so much about ME during these past 5 months. Much of my identity was in working hard. Jimminy Cricket but it has been soooooooooooo hard reminding myself I am worthwhile whether I can pay the rent in January or not.
I am learning how to REST. It really can be difficult resting when used to working for decades.
I am learning how to listen to MY heart and give her the attention she deserves. Man, I worked the poor thing half to death. I ran her into the ground. I dismissed my needs as unimportant.
I just popped around to encourage you to look after YOU. Your needs are just as important as those you so diligently care about and care for.
And, if you are going through a particularly tough patch, do NOT allow despair to be an option.
When you have NO idea what to do, beloveds, do SOMETHING, if only a small something.
Turn on some music. Do some chores. Have a cup of coffee. Breathe. Then, tell yourself the truth:
Everything WILL be okay.
You are loved.
You are NOT alone.
Then, try and reach out and love someone. Helping others will help you. If nothing else, it will give you the chance to stop stewing on things you can’t yet change.
Be encouraged. Come. Sing with me. Scrape your joy from the pile of hard and be encouraged.
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He. Keep asking for what you need. Keep asking for what you want. Keep moving FORWARD. Keep looking UP. Things WILL get better. Have FAITH.
I have things to do. So do you, beloveds. What are you DOING about and with your hard?
Be encouraged. You are NOT forgotten. Nor are you forsaken.
I have felt soooooooooooo forsaken. My feels are all feely.
I have gotten weary of the journey. I’m ready for a pitstop. Ready to get out of the hot car and into the Motel waiting up the road.
I’m tired of wondering “How long”. I feel like the child asking “Are we there yet?”.
I’m exhausted from living ‘in the meantime’ whilst waiting for my change to come.
Knowing this, beloveds, I am giving myself some extra slack. I am being good to myself. I have scrambled around, in my cabinets, for things to toss about in my electric skillet.
Be good to you, beloveds, as you make your way through today.
Do what you can. Then, wait. Patiently. Enjoy your day, okay?
I’m thankful I am learning how to laugh at my mini catastrophes.
The next time you get frustrated with your try, beloveds, makes sure you are connected to Your Source. We can’t do things alone. We need a bit of help to get things connected and going/growing in the right direction.
Be good to yourself as you make your way.
asking for A Friend,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: It’s a good thing I stashed an extra pound of laughter in my pockets this morning!
Use these things as fuel to help you to go up higher. Don’t use them as excuses to run away.
Stay in the fight, beloveds. These things show up to show you what you are made of. They are there to show you what you are capable of. Be encouraged.
Use ALL to your advantage:
The hard.
The lonely.
The frustrating.
The unknown.
Use ALL to shave the rough edges off of your mad. We all get mad with The Universe, at times. The Universe seems to like to play with our emotions. The Universe appears to cruelly dangle possibilities before us.
I am tired of possibilities, Universe! I want possibilities brought into my reality! Today! Hurry up, drat it all.
asking for me and all my friends,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: I am listening to ‘Follow My Rainbow’ by Sheena Easton. It hurts listening to it, today. I so want to be walking into my dreams. Today. Right now. The days are passing. Ah, God. Why You hidin’ my dreams? Give them to me! My why needs to know why You takin’ so long…
Fear not, beloveds. No matter what you are going through. Fear not.
Perceptions can cloud the judgement, bringing darkness to our thoughts. That darkness often paralyzes our ACTIONS.
Continue, beloveds, to MOVE FORWARD. When life lands an unexpected blow, take a breath. Then, continue to lift up your head. Tell hard ha and keep it moving.
These moments are precious. We only have today. Embrace your today. Make some coffee. Read a book. Take a walk. Tell fear and doubt to take a hike.
We got this. Sorta, eh? 🥰😆
Don’t let hard steal your joy. Keep being and doing your why. If your why wasn’t crucial, you wouldn’t be fought as you have been!
I am fixing to have a nice cup of coffee. Sit with me as we regroup. Then, we keep pressing forward. I love you.
hopeful still, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Be encouraged. Perfect love casts out fear, the bible says. Fear not. I love you. So does He.
I tried my hand at some homemade mac and cheese. Not the prepared stuff. From scratch.
I didn’t use the prepared Velveeta you squeeze from the bag. Nope, beloveds, I found I had enough ingredients of milk, shredded cheese, Irish butter, seasoning etc to toss in, toss up and make for my 56th birthday.
It came out nicely, in my opinion. I have ALWAYS wanted to try my hand and different homemade dishes. But, I had always been fearful of over seasoning, under cooking or burning something.
Lately, I have been tossing things in a pan to see what happens. The other day I made a delish chicken and pasta dish. I just grabbed what I had available.
Ah.
Aha!
Starting over has given me permission and courage to try new things. I figure what do I have to lose? I have lost tons this year.
Starting over is never easy. Working through the unknown can be daunting. I find myself daunted today…lol.
Life has been scaring the bejeez out of me. So much so I have questioned my EVERY step.
Why did I do that?!!!!! Why didn’t I do this then?!!!!
I comfort myself with the knowledge I am doing all I know NOW. I can’t fix yesterday. I can’t do a thing about tomorrow.
Today, I write. Today, I CHOOSE to be good to me as I wait for my dreams to catch up to my reality.
Can I be honest, beloveds? I wanted to make a deal with myself to go back to mediocre. I could live in mediocrity, I lied to myself. Problem is, I can’t. Not anymore. My heart refuse to allow it.
My heart is foolish enough to want to pursue the best in all of us. I REFUSE to give up on us all. Dummy me.
Be encouraged. Today, those words are hard to say.
Be encouraged anyway.
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Things are not all they seem. The only way we lose is if we quit. We have too much love to experience to do that. Hold fast. In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He.
It’s time to embrace the new, eschewing old views.
Ah.
Aha!
free,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Today was a scary day for me. It’s one of the first days, since the tornado, that I got about business and LIVED.
I was afraid. I have not driven in forever. I felt like a kid again. I kept telling myself to breathe.
I took it ALL in. I exhaled all that pent up fear. It felt good.
I conversed with strangers. Strangers conversed with me. We enjoyed one another.
I drove home and sat in my car. Satisfied. Yes, it truly hurt driving amid all the tore up trees. The drive home now is unknown. All the usual landmarks are gone. I grieved their loss. They wer more than ‘just trees’.
Beloveds, it’s okay to lament your losses. Even the losses that are necessary and beneficial for your growth. Loss STILL hurts. Don’t let folk make you feel badly for feeling badly.
After a time, the hurt didn’t hurt so much. I was able to take in the wonderful glare of the sun. I was able to enjoy the fantastic blue of a sky saying hello to one who had been so afraid to get outside after the tornado.
Today I tried. How great is that?
Keep trying, beloveds. You CAN. You WILL. In case no one has told you today: I love you. So does He.
One step.
One step.
One step.
You are loved.
You are NOT alone.
Keep on being…YOU!
If this piece encouraged you, share it with someone please/thanks.
That’s how my try feels, today. Blah. Blah. Blah. I’m getting on my own nerves. I am annoyed thinking who the world wants/needs to be encouraged EVERY blasted day, Cassandra!?
When I get to thinking this way, I hurry up and get to encouraging someone. Someone, somewhere needs to be uplifted. That someone was me, yesterday.
Yesterday was Foreverday. Forever waiting. Forever seeking. Forever wondering where in the fresh hell are these stupid dreams of mine already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I grew discouraged. I grew anxious. Then, I grew up, got up and kept it moving. My good habits just will NOT allow me to mope for long anymore. Life is just too short.
I am super crabby because I am missing mom so much this week. I want to literally take my heart and sit it on a shelf until it stops hurting. I am tired of carrying ’round this broken heart of mine.
I am currently singing myself some old love songs. I am loving on me whilst waiting on The Universe to show up for me. Ah, God, I am missing mom…*sigh*.
How is YOUR heart, beloveds? What is your heart dreaming of? Are you giving your heart permission to dream? If not, do so. If you are, be encouraged. Your dreams shall find you.
Until then, beloveds, I hope all is well with your today.
hopeful for us all,
asking for A Friend,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: I wanted to give up today. I almost did. I am angry. I am sad. I am angry at a world that has embraced hatred, misogyny and racism. As a black woman, my heart aches. As a human soul, my heart hurts. For all of us.
I hurt for those who look like me. I hurt for those who hate folk simply for looking like me. I hurt for all who can’t hear beyond their silos. I hurt for those who have closed their ears and arms.
I almost turned off my light. I yelled at The Universe. I asked what possible use my small light has done or ever has.
I thought of putting down my pen. I thought to go silent. Ha! I REFUSE to turn off my light, meager though it may be.
I REFUSE to stand on fear. I CHOOSE:
Love.
Faith.
Hope.
Joy.
I laugh, through these tears. I wade through discouragement/disappointment and look for the gifts this hard has presented.
Ah, beloveds, keep looking UP. Keep moving FORWARD. Keep shining YOUR light. You are having more of an impact than you know.
I made myself get out of bed. I made myself something to eat. I washed the dishes.
I feel as helpless as I did when mom passed away. I thought I would never be able to move past her passing. I have. I wish she were here to remind me everything really will be alright.
These times were meant to pass. Find the beauty in your moments. Life is more than world politics, even though it seems we are all doomed and consumed by it. Lies!
Why Can't I Be Loud?! 