Because I Love You

  1942 Memories Cousin Eleanor Cannaday Dear Witt, And she really was or is. She had enough witts to be able to cook at a very young age, 8 or 10 years old?? She and her bosom Buddy (a cousin) would go on basket meeting trips in the backyard, and she cooked real food! No matter whether day or night. This is what thinking about Witty has done. We, all 4 of us, Witt, Bill, Bud and Ellie –whenever we got together, life was a bowl of cherries!!! The biggest thrill of her life was their wedding night. Coming to Cleveland, Ohio and sleeping 4, including baby Jan, all in one bed!! # Wow! 3 o’clock in the morning!!! I picked up the phone to call!! I made no sense at all. This is what I used to do… pick up anything to write.

Aunt Witt at Fred's House July 2024 I always enjoyed listening to my Aunt Witt tell me stories about her and my father growing up, how much they loved each other like brother and sister, and playing going to the refuneral. This is how I imagined it. Little Witt and Little Buddy were six-year-old cousins but loved each other like sister and brother. Their mothers were sisters and they all lived together in a big house. Witt and Buddy did everything together, like watching the circus parade and jumping off the garage with umbrellas, but that’s another story. Witt and Buddy had a big family with many aunts and uncles, who lived on farms, in big cities, or other faraway places. They only saw them during special occasions like funerals and family reunions. Going to the family reunion was a fun time. Witt and Buddy’s mothers would fill the house with sweet smells of cakes and pies cooking, hot breads baking and all kinds of good foods cooking on the stove. Sometimes relatives would drive...

ChatGPT generated image Once upon a time there was a family of brothers, Jaden, Larry, Melvin, and Michael. Jaden was the oldest, next was Larry, then Melvin, followed by Micheal the youngest. One day, they went fishing with their father, something they all looked forward to whenever their father had the time. Their father was a great man in the town, the Mayor, and he rarely had time to spend with his family, but Sundays was his official day off. “No city work tomorrow,” their dad would announce on Saturday nights. And when his wife was away for the weekend visiting her relatives and not taking the boys to church, he would add, “I’m taking my boys fishing!” The boys would squeal with glee, especially Jaden and Michael. Jaden always wanted to drive. “Can I drive, please?’ “No Jaden, not until you get your permit.  “But you started driving when you were 15.”  “That was a different time, son. One day you will be driving your brothers around, just wait.”  Their father’s word...

I wrote this tribute the day I was hit with the devastating news of my father's passing, Thursday 11/2/2006. Looking back, writing has always been my response to life's greatest challenges and blessings. Today, is the 19th anniversary of his passing. Last year, I posted a story about him, but I didn't share this tribute.  Contemplating A Life Well Lived, written November 2, 2006, Thursday My father, Elza “Buddy” Cannaday, was born on August 20, 1922.  He lived for 84+ years and died on November 1, 2006. Correction…My father’s spirit was conceived sometime before August 20, 1922.  His body was born on August 20th.  His spirit and body sojourned together for 84+ years.  His spirit and body embraced life.  He took a meager beginning and drafted it into a life spectacular; a life of love of self, the love of his mother, finding the love of his life, love for his family and friends, love of God, and forgiveness for others. When Daddy’s body contracted leukemia, ...

Good morning God! Thank you for this excellent day! Thank you for answering my prayers yesterday. Thank you for providing everything needed today. Please continue to watch over, protect, guide, and bless us.  Please help us all love more lovingly today. Writing is a spiritual process for me. I have the opportunity to be a channel for God's love and light to be shared on Earth. We are spiritual beings, it’s in the water. Our bodies are 60% water. According to ChatGPT, we are about 60% water, which varies by age, gender, and body composition: Infants 75-78%, Adult men 60%, Adult women 55% (body fat holds less water than muscle), Elderly 50-55% (decreases with age) Most of the water is inside cells (intracellular fluid), and the rest is in blood plasma and other bodily fluids (extracellular fluid).  We are spiritual beings, and we must live spiritually as well as physically.  Expressing our spirits is necessary for a full and healthy life. A spiritual process is something we...

Today eighteen years ago, at 5:30am EST / 2:30am PST, my father transitioned from his earthly body to the Heavens. Elza “Buddy” Cannaday became a saint and joined the other saints.  I believe Dad knew what was going to happen to his family, after he died, and he made the choice to come back to try and help us.  Some of us needed him in a special way, a way that only Dad could fill.  I believe he decided to visit me because he felt he owed me more time, and he knew I was about to make one of the most important decisions in my life. Perhaps, Dad’s arrival into Heaven went something like this: DAD’S INTERVIEW AT THE PEARLY GATES – MAYBE? Normally I could pull out a few pictures from my wallet and show you, my family.  “Ha, ha.”  I’ve never left home without any money in my pockets let alone no pockets, or pants. Now that’s funny.  My Grandkids would be asking, “Papa, where’s your pants?  How come you ain’t got on no pants? You told us never to leave home ...