Sometimes, a good chuckle is needed to get through the day.
I just stopped by to offer a smile, a shoulder, a hug and a heaping helping of love and care.
A while back, beloveds, I came across a video where someone was being skeptical about folk actually loving and caring for others. He didn’t believe there were folks who genuinely love and care for no other reason than to love and to care. How sad.
I think about that man, from time to time. I wonder what caused his life to be so bitter. Yes, there are countless souls who choose to spend their days climbing over others in search of the bag and apparent prestige.
I choose to spend my days extending my heart, my shoulder, my care. I can’t do one whit about those who choose to act and live in a reckless and non caring manner. I pray for them. I pray for them all. Okay, mini rant over.
I am finally comfortable in my own skin. I no longer question God as to WHY in the world He has chosen ME to encourage the world EVERY day. He did. I do. I love it. I love me. I love Him. I love you. I love a world in which there are many who hate me just because I was born in the apparently wrong body. No matter.
Take care of your beautiful heart, beloveds. I love you. More than you know. Love me back. Someone yak at me in the comments. It lifts my spirits just at the right time.
I was thinking, recently, about the time, many moons ago, when ALL I had to live on was one HUGE can of instant Folger’s coffee.
I had no money. I had just enough gas to get back to work and back. I had just enough money to pay the rent, keep the lights on and pay the water bill. That’s it. There had been nothing left over for non-essential items like food. Ha! Who needed food?
Still, that time was some of the most precious/joyous/memorable times of my life. It was back in the early 90’s when God began to bug me about REALLY writing. He told me to call myself “The Storyteller” I argued with Him. I may have written a piece about that. I have written a story about it. I am going to have to dig out my stories and share them. Ah, those days.
Anywho, I had gotten to the portion of my life where I had no funds. I had a job. A job that didn’t pay much. I was the Breakfast Coordinator at a Residence Inn. I loved that job!
I was in charge of getting breakfast ready. I came in, super early. There was a small kitchen. I had free reign at the breakfast/lunch menu. I cooked. I kept the coffee going. I kept the four table clear. I yakked with the guests.
I daydreamed about what it would be like to be able to travel all over, to be able to live MY dreams as I fed folks as they went about their ‘important’ lives.
MY life, however, just didn’t feel important. All I did, or so I told myself, was serve others as THEY got to live ‘important’ lives.
At the end of the day, I would wipe down the tables, for the last time, then make my way home to a small place with nothing in it but one HUGE can of Folgers coffee.
I wasn’t sad about it. I wasn’t mad about it. I didn’t fuss at God about it. All I di d was make my coffee, write and hang out with God. I didn’t lament about not having ‘enough’.
For me, beloveds, that cup of coffee, that quiet time of writing and yakking with God. That time of going to work early, serving folk, was a joyous time. It also helped as I was able to eat at work. So, I at least had breakfast and lunch. I was on my own for supper and my days off.
Do you want to know something, beloveds? I did NOT feel poor. I did NOT feel lacking. Not at all. I just understood that the pennies didn’t stretch far enough.
Eventually, I made a bit more money. I moved on to a higher paying job. A more stressful job. I didn’t have as much time for quiet, for writing, for coffee. I began to miss that foodless time….lol.
Life is all about perspective. I am learning that every day. I am glad to be reminded of that time. Thinking about THAT time, got me to wondering where on earth THAT me was? The ME that enjoyed a cup of coffee with not much, but with more than enough?
Here I was, safe, free, half healthy, able to enjoy coffee whenever I wanted and had been a heaping ball of fear of the future.
It feels good to getting back to being ME. I am enjoying my coffee NOW. I am being thankful for what I currently have now. Yes, I am praying for finances. Yes, I am asking for next steps when it comes to my career and future.
In the meantime, I am enjoying simply being. Simple as that. Ah, God. Life is worth living. Even the hard days. Especially those. Hard helps brings us back to us!
Be encouraged, beloveds. Take stock. Put things into perspective. Lack does NOT mean you are lacking. Some things we lack we truly do not need. Yet, or maybe never.
Take care of yourself.
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: Life is something, eh? It’s all in how we look at it.
Note: I let discouragement discourage me. I let fear make me afraid. I allowed hard to stay hard. I allowed doubt to make me doubtful.
Why? Because I had forgotten to sing. I forgot to dance. I forgot my joy. I forgot to turn on my music. I chose to see nothing but darkness and the waves.
One day I got tired of the darkness. I got tired of being afraid. I got tired of doubting. I chose joy and love. I chose to turn on my music. I chose to dance. I chose to sing. I chose to be me. I chose to remember that all things come out in the wash.
Don’t give in to the lie that all is hopeless. It’s not. Life is tough for everyone right now. We can turn things around. We can live a life full of joy, peace and hope. We can’t care about our fellow men and women. We can take care of the elderly. We can make sure children have enough to eat. Even those who don’t look like us.
Don’t you dare allow apathy and fear to keep you from living a wonderful life. Leave that for timid souls who choose not to care and who choose to profit off of divisive miss and fear.
Life is what YOU make it. What are you making with yours, beloved?
asking for A Friend, Cassandra
#YourLifeMattersToMe
Note: History is talking to all of us right now. It is asking what are we prepared to be to have it to do in these challenging times?
I’m doing my best to make the most of the rest of my life. I have just this little bit of time to make my mark. I am trying to aim true. I keep asking what I can do to make things better. I have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Have an amazing today. You’re the best you can and be OK with that. I love you.
I used to fear change. I used to believe that most change was bad.
I did my best to keep everything the same. I didn’t like entering outside my comfort zone.
Change does NOT have to be the boogie man.
Change can bring wonderful and positive things into our lives. We just have to keep on moving forward and looking up.
I’m building my days now on peace, love, hope, joy and a ton of laughter. I don’t have time to worry about gloom and doom that may or may not happen. I will deal with life as it presents itself to me.
I choose to see the goodness in my fellow man. I choose to bring out the best in me. I choose to give life everything I have. I choose to give away what I have if you will help someone else in need. I choose to wait my turn. I choose to be OK if my turn never comes. I have everything I need right now.
Be encouraged today. You got this. Everything will come out in the wash, remember?
I feel like an idiot. Begging family and friends for likes and comments. How embarrassing 😳. Who am I to think my words would make an impact. Embarrassing.
I feel like an idiot.
This idiot will be back, tomorrow, encouraging folk. Geez, God. NOBODY came to my meal. Embarrassing. 😳
*Cassandra reminds herself it’s all about the try. Cassandra tells the 📣 cheerleader in her to shut it.*
Be encouraged, beloveds. Even when your dreams feel like a popped 🎈 balloon!
The motivational videos I did yesterday sounded stilted. The sound was off. I saved the pieces anyway.
I have been enjoying learning.
Don’t worry about looking like an idiot as you learn everything. It’s OK to feel like an idiot as you move forward. I forgot what it was like being back in school.
I had too much fun today to worry about sounding like or looking like an idiot. People will either receive what I put out in the universe, or they will. Simple as that.
I’m looking forward to all the mistakes that I mam going to be making tomorrow!
Why Can't I Be Loud?! 