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!
You are getting there! You can make it! You got this!!
Celebrate your try. You are doing all you know. Be encouraged. You got this.
asking for A Friend,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Be sure to enjoy your day. Do something you enjoy. Spend some time with someone you love. Make a friend. Bring someone some coffee. So something outside your comfort zone.
Recovering from this tornado is forever forcing me outside my comfort zone. I appreciate it but it’s awfully nerve wracking.
Promise yourself you won’t fall back on old habits when life is taking to long to give up your bounty.
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.
Early yesterday morning, I was awakened to the blare of tornado sirens. Again. Dammit!
I had spent a stress-filled week wading through fake/scam job listings. Again. Dammit!
So, there I lay, exhausted, irritated. Only to be awakened by stupid tornado sirens. I hid in the bathroom. Again. Dammit!
The tornado struck. Again. On 13th street. I live on 12th. There was damage. Again. Dammit!
Thankfully, my power was not among the 5,000 who are without power again. Shamefully, I am thankful I missed the second go around of no power.
I told my wombie that I was NOT going to use this latest awfulness to write and encourage folk. I told sis I was NOT going to write at all. I told sis I was turning off my phone and getting off the world. I told sis I was done caring about a world who could care less about me.
The other day, I reached out to an organization that helped folks and asked for help. I received a form letter lamenting my hardship but they were taking a break from helping folk. I would be considered if they got back to considering folk. Dammit!
None of my friends called to wish me a Happy birthday. Dammit!
The newest tornado had me feeling helpless. The lack of job options had me feeling hopeless. The lack of birthday greetings left me feeling embarrassed.
I took all of those feelings to bed with me. I turned off my phone…
A funny thing happened on the way to my pity party. Good habits told me to get up. My try told me to keep my promise to myself. The Universe asked me not to give up yet.
I turned on my phone. I wrote. I encouraged. I stood on my FAITH. I made a meal and had my me time of coffee and watching an old show.
I’m doing all I can do. I’m also trying to do a little bit more. I have NO idea what my future holds. I DO know my future does NOT hold quit. Not by me.
Stay encouraged, beloveds. Even when hard gets extra hard. Keep doing what you can and wait for your change to come. The time will pass no matter what you do. You may as well continue to learn/grow during the tough times.
Other times, my writing is woefully insufficient. To me. I tell myself I can’t ‘splain thangs the way I see them, in my heart. Crapola. Then, I write. Anyway.
I used to be ashamed of my why. Who in the world would want to spend their ENTIRE life encouraging the WORLD? Seems like such a really stupid thing to want to do with a life.
I have tried to do other things. I tried to ignore this why. Why? Because, it’s time consuming. Because it can be lonely. Because it can be exhausting to want to write after a full day of dealing with a world’s worth of…uh, oh…lol.
My why would never shut up. I have learned to go on ahead and do/be my why. I enjoy it. Every day. Even on the days when I am fed up with wanting to do anything.
Do what you do. Don’t be afraid of who you are. Don’t be ashamed of your why. Keep on being you. You are much needed. More than you know.
The World Series have been interesting. Game 1 ended in spectacular fashion.
The winner won. The loser, well lost. And, in losing, they appeared to have lost their nerve.
Game 2? A tough watch. The winner, of Game 1, played loose. They laughed They enjoyed the game.
The loser, of Game 1, played Game 2 as if they had already lost. There was no joy. There was no laughter. There was only the stress of not being the one to make the mistake.
It was tough to watch. I was hoping the losing team would just play. The outcome would be the outcome. Of course, they lost.
This reminds me just to play. I tell myself just to try. I have no idea what my trying will do. In the meantime, I’m just going to have fun. I’m going to make my way in the world the best that I can. I’m going to love as many people as I can. I can live with the outcome.
Life much too short to be worried about the outcome of things. to allow fear to dictate my every move. I told myself I was just being careful. I told myself I was just being prudent. I was lying to myself. I was afraid of the outcome.
I no longer waste my time going about what may happen. I am going to enjoy EVERY moment of the game. Win, lose, or draw. I just want to get in there and just play. I want to meet new folk. I want to cheer on others. I want us all to get in there and play.
Don’t worry about making the last out.
Don’t worry about striking out.
Don’t worry about making the costly error.
Just play. Don’t worry. Enjoy the game. Enjoy your teammates. Enjoy the effort. Then, accept the outcome and move on.
Did your team win? Terrific. Did you lose? It happens. One side WILL lose.
I am learning that losing is not always losing. I have gained so much in the losses, these last few months. I have gained the knowledge that I really CAN. And, that I truly WILL. It will just take time.
And, when I grow fearful of the unknown, I get up and do something. Right now, I am currently doing meal prep and grilling some chicken breasts to go along with the veggies I have waiting. I am using anxt to get chores done!
REFUSE, beloveds, to allow fear to keep you out of the game. Get on in there and play.
asking for A Friend,
Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Life is what we make it. I am doing my best to live my best life. Right NOW. Right HERE. Here, in my currently jobless, broke situation….hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Anyone can trust/believe with a full belly. This has been a truly gratifying experience to get to see, first hand, that I can walk with joy, peace, hope and love through EVERY situation.
Be encouraged. Remember that your life matters. Keep on being the amazing person you are. I love you. Tell someone you love them. They need to hear it. You need to say it.
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.
Why Can't I Be Loud?! 