10/04/2026
Today, I want to be a little transparent.
October is a difficult month for me.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is everywhere—the pink ribbons, the walks, the celebrations, the reminders.
And as grateful as I am to be on the other side of breast cancer, October can take me back to places I would rather not revisit.
I think that’s important to say out loud.
Because gratitude doesn’t mean that every chapter of our lives suddenly becomes easy to look back on.
Sometimes we can be grateful and still hurt.
We can celebrate how far we’ve come and still remember how frightened we were.
We can be doing well today and still have moments when the past feels very close.
And maybe someone reading this is in a tough spot right now.
It may not be cancer.
Maybe it’s grief.
A relationship.
Finances.
Your health.
Your family.
Or simply a season of life that feels heavier than you expected.
I want to remind you—and myself—of something:
A tough spot is a place in your story. It doesn’t have to be the end of your story.
You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt.
You don’t have to have all the answers.
And you certainly don’t have to feel positive every single day.
But don’t fold up your dreams.
Don’t stop imagining better days.
Don’t stop reaching for the people who love you.
And don’t give up on yourself.
Sometimes courage isn’t a dramatic act.
Sometimes courage is simply saying, “This is hard. But I’m going to keep going.”
So this Gratitude Sunday, I’m grateful that I kept going.
I’m grateful for the people who helped me keep going.
I’m grateful for the life that was waiting for me beyond some of my hardest days.
And on this October Sunday, perhaps my simplest testimony is also my most meaningful:
I’m still here. And I’m grateful to be here. 💗🙏🏾
🎵 Today’s song: “I’m Still Here” — Dorinda Clark-Cole