Month: July 2026

I Forgive Myself | A Healing Anthem for Releasing Shame and Embracing Gr…

Beloveds, this for EVERY heart.

I forgive me.

Do you?

Cassandra

Share with someone please/thanks…

Real talk: When I don’t know what to do/say. 

I’m in a quandary. I don’t know what to say  or how to say it.

Lately, I’ve been having flashbacks of the day I had my stroke. I was laying on the floor, wriggling like a fish and yelling ” I’m coming” at the top of my lungs.

Turns out, I couldn’t speak and couldn’t do anything more than wriggle like a fish on a hook.

I honestly don’t know what to think or say. To, anyone. To, God. To, myself.

Should I be:

Angry.

Sad.

Frustrated 

Right now, I feel none of those. Maybe,  I secretly feel all of those…*sigh*.

I think I’ll go climb onto The Father’s Lap and be still…hhhm. Who wants to join me?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: 😳If anyone has the answer, please let me know..

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Celebrate even the smallest victories 

This morning, it only took me 45 minutes to put on my bra. This is huge for me. I can also now take care of my hygiene needs, if you can catch my meaning

It means the world to be able to use the restroom for myself. I can’t begin to make you understand how humbling it has been to need someone to take care of your bodily functions. Yay.

I am also starting Outpatient Therapy in a bit over two weeks. I get to learn how to do every day tasks so as to prepare for Supportes Living.  Yay! I’ll have my own apartment with staff available 24/7.

My goal is to improve enough to volunteer.  I would love to visit folks I hospital or Nursing home.

I’m looking forward to my dreams coming true. Just stopped by to encourage someone. Starting with me.

Be encouraged.  Celebrate your victories. Especially, the smaller ones.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Yay me!👍😎🥰😁💃🏽🤣🤗🎯

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Over this day.

Have reached my limit on distressing health news. Too tired to cry. Think I will go watch some Netflix. Who’s coming with?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:😳😥

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Real talk: When loss is not loss

Mom passed away Christmas morning 2016. It will have been 10 years since she ran off and left us. Miss you, mom.

Mom collected teddy bears. She loved them. At her funeral, we decorated her casket with tons of teddy bears. Afterwards, we shared them with those who loved her. With those, who would miss her smile, her love, her throaty laugh,  her cooking, and everything that had made her “mom”.

For the funeral, one of my sisters and I  wore these ridiculous sweaters we knew would tickle mom to no end!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I say all that, beloveds, to say this:

Yes, losing hurts. Tremendously. It’s important to embrace the memories. Process. Grieve. Cry. Then, with thanksgivings, move forward, move on.

It feels good to enjoy thoughts of mom’s teddy bears. Ah, mom. I miss you. Rest in peace.

Real talk.  Loss is not always loss

loving mom still,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be encouraged.  I love you and so does!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

When loss is not loss.

When my  twin, my sis, my wombie, my friend passed awa just before this past Christmas, I felt her passing to the depths of my soul. We’ll be 58 this November.

Yet, her loss was just her transition. ALL sis talked about was going home to be with  Jesus.

For us believers, our hearts long to walk with Him, to see Him, face to face. I don’t throw my faith in folk’s faces. Jesus is perfectly able to speak for Himself.

Moving on, I miss sis so. I miss her deep laugh. I miss her greeting  me with “Yellow”! Only with me, though. It always miffed me, just a bit, when she would say “Hello”. She would say “hello” when she had been talking to anyone other than me.

I would huffily demand my PROPER greeting! I would slam down the phone, call back, and wait for it…

” YELLOW, she would say.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I miss you, wombie. Say hi to mom for me.

The bible says weeping may endure, for a night. But, joy DOES come in the morning.

You have experienced your own loss. Perhaps, not death. Maybe, the loss of a friend, a job, an opportunity, or one of a billion things we can and will lose.

Still, beloveds, loss does not have have to be loss Loss is merely something that has reached it’s ending. When the end comes, tip your cap, take your bow, then exit ” Stage Left! For, we’ve got thangs to do. Let’s go!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:🛎🛎😎👍🤗💃🏽🥰

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Beloveds, NEVER allow pain to have the last word!

Beloveds, NEVER allow pain to have the last word!

Since I had my stroke, this past January, I have to beat back pain, of some sort or other.

And, on the odd day where pain isn’t kicking my behind, I am wrestling with emotional pain that wants to suck the joy from my life.

EVERY day, beloveds, I must  CHOOSE:

My mood.

My actions.

My feelings.

I do NOT get the luxury of allowing any of those to govern over me and mine. What’s more, beloveds,  NEITHER DO YOU! Ha!

I refuse to allow pain to have the last word.

What say you?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: This is picture of me and my twin when we were about 8 or so. For most of my life,beloveds, I was teased, I  was bullied, I talked about. I was told that I was “ugly ” every day. All through school, boys  AND girls would follow me, calling me names.

I ate lunch alone.  The lunch table was was my lonely island.

I never felt lonely.  Until, I heard it enough times. Eventually, I slowly began to believe it.

It took until age 50 for God, for Jesus, for The Holy Ghost, for fam, for a few precious friends to love me until I had been filled with enough love to love me back.

I don’t know why I have hidden these words at the end of this piece. Maybe, beloveds, I am afraid you won’t read them. Worse, you may read them and not care.

I write to and for all the ugly feeling folk out there. You are beautiful to me. To Him. Be encouraged. Share these words with someone who needs to KNOW they are seen, they are heard, and that they are loved.  Asking for A Friend.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

When your lonely is lonely.

My lonely has been feeling awful lonely, here lately.

I have been giving her extra love. I have given her extra care. I have been showered her with extra forgiveness, extra peace, extra rest, extra laughter, extra understanding.

I have given her, given me  permission to cry, to wonder, to wander.

I just stopped by to encourage someone. Starting with me.

Beloveds, it’s okay to feel lonely. It’s just an invitation for you to love on you. It’s also an invitation for you to love ❤️ others, for you to do the terrifying act of risking rejection.

Rejection hurts. Every time. Why do I risk rejection with EVERY word I utter.

BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT, YOU ARE WORTHY, AND ARE SO WORTHWHILE!

Take care, beloveds.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:🥰

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Never, have I ever.

Never, have I ever.

Felt more lost.

Never, have I ever.

Wanted to run away more than I do now.

Never, have I ever.

Felt more lonely.

Never, have I ever.

Been more determined.

Never, have I ever.

Been more hopeful.

Never, have I ever.

Felt more free.

Never, have I ever

Ah, beloveds. Never, have I ever,  felt soooooooo many emotions all at once!

When I lay, on the gurney, waiting for word if I had had yet another stroke, the thought crossed my mind that I really could die. I didn’t.

That knowledge fuels me now.

All I can think about is loving as many folk as I can. Whether I am loved, in return, is irrelevant to me.

Yes, my ❤️ heart longs. I’ll be 58 in November. I have not had a real hug in decades except from my big sis. I’m not sad about that. Just understanding.

Physically, my looks don’t ✋️ stop traffic. In fact  I’m sure I have caused a pile up or two, in the opposite direction 🤔…lol!

Still, I enjoy sharing my thoughts,  my heart. Here. Now. With whosoever will.

Jesus always went in look of the one. He knew the other 99 were already safe and protected. His heart, my heart searches for the one I need of love.

Be encouraged. You are loved As, am.

I am blessed. I was found. I pray 🙏 always for those who feel lost, who feel helpless, ones who feel afraid.

Pain is chasing me to my bed. In the meantime, be encouraged. I hope some have understood these shaky words.

Take care.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:❤️

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Are you okay?

Are you okay?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be encouraged, today. I just stopped by to love on someone? Is it you? C’mere!

I could use some loud love, today.  Am I the only one wishing that I had an hour long hug? I’ll settle for half an hour. Asking for many friends…



One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!