Yesterday, I realized something I didn’t have words for the first time I walked through this.
There is a moment…
when you know something hard
and you have to decide how to carry it into the world.
Not just the news itself—
but how you stand when you say it.
I went to work.
I stayed in my routine.
I answered what I needed to, but not more than I was ready for.
And when Kyle asked me about my illustrator—
not my diagnosis—
it reminded me of something important.
People will meet you where you stand.
So the question became:
Where am I standing?
Not in fear.
Not in denial.
Not in overwhelm.
But somewhere steady.
Somewhere honest.
Somewhere I could say,
“I know enough for today. I don’t need to carry everything yet.”
Later that night, I gave myself something I didn’t have the first time.
I rested.
Not because everything was okay—
but because I needed to be.
I put on Jason’s guitar shirt—
the one I knew he had worn.
I could still remember his scent.
And for a moment, everything felt familiar again.
It wasn’t just comfort.
It was memory… something steady to hold onto
when so much felt unknown.
And I let the music play.
Chicago filled the room that night.
A familiar sound. A familiar feeling.
It wasn’t our song.
It was just what my heart needed.
There’s something about music—
how it holds you without asking questions.
How it lets you feel something fully
without needing to explain it.
And for a while,
I didn’t have to figure anything out.
I just let it carry what I couldn’t put into words yet.
And for that night…
I let myself be the girl with no cancer.
Not avoiding.
Just breathing.

This morning, it became clear:
There is a place I can stand when I share hard things.
I don’t have to: explain everything
manage everyone’s emotions
carry every reaction
I can stand here instead.
✨ The Telling Ground
Where I: speak the truth, one piece at a time
allow others to feel without taking it on
stay connected, but not overwhelmed
take the next right step, not every step
The tools are there.
Not forced.
Not scripted.
They rise… when I stand in the right place.
I don’t know exactly how every conversation will go today.
But I know this:
I don’t have to carry it all at once.
I just have to stand.
🌿 This is my April for today
Somewhere between knowing and telling
Holding truth quietly before it’s spoken out loud
⚓ My anchor for today
I am more than my diagnosis
And I will take this one step at a time
✨ Closing Line
This is meaningful leadership from the inside out.