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Jane Cardillo @JaneCardillo

My son, David Finkelman, 27, was killed by a distracted driver in 2014.He was a musician, university student and a beautiful human. I write my grief here.

Joined September 2011
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Jane Cardillo@JaneCardillo
Mar 18
I gaze at the night sky, tiny silver nuggets wink back at me. Which one are you, I wonder, as Shakespeare's words float through my head: 'When he shall die Cut him out in little stars And he will make the face of heaven so fine All the world will be in love with night' #Losslit
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I sit on a hill in the park. The summer air wraps me in a velvet blanket. Above, pinpricks of light sparkle through a black canvas. One star breaks away from the rest and hurtles towards earth. There you are, I say. My #fallen son shows himself in beautiful ways. #vss365
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Great use of tether yesterday. Today, somewhere a serene pool of warm water awaits. Dive in and enjoy. Let your thoughts drift, your worries dissolve, and completely #Immerse yourself in the moment. Today, May 23, 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Immerse
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I read some fantastic stories yesterday. Some deeply emotional, others light on the soul. I often need both to anchor myself and remain positive. A writer needs a tether to sanity when living so often inside one’s imagination. Today, May 22, 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Tether
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This is the anniversary of my niece, Nicole's, death. Taken by cancer at 31. Nicole was a wife, a mother of two babies, a registered nurse. Her blond hair and ice blue eyes turned heads. It's 17 years since her light was extinguished. #Lingering gold dust. #vss365
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One Mother's Day many years ago, David gave me a Hosta. I love it, I said. I'll think of you when it comes up each year. David's been gone more than a decade now. And when that hosta appears each spring it never fails to remind me of my son. #LossLit
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Jane Cardillo retweeted
Mike Reynolds@MikeRey61920141
May 20
As she kissed him goodbye at the station, he wanted to weep, but he kept his despair from her. She couldn't help herself, #betrayal was second nature to her. She'd taken a lover from the ranks of the secret police. Sooner or later, they were both doomed. #vss365
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Her blue eyes stared up at him. Hey baby, he cooed, running his hands down her body. He couldn't ever remember feeling such love before. Behind him bacon sizzled on the griddle. She drooled, he ignored her. She threw back her Husky head and howled in #betrayal. #vss365
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Good morning from the North Georgia Mountains. Betrayal is the quiet fracture of trust, when someone you believed in becomes the one that lets you fall. Today is May 20, 2026 and your #vss365 #prompt is #betrayal
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The number of #vss365 writers is overwhelming in the best possible way. So many fantastic stories and poems appear throughout the day that I’m sure I’ve missed a few gems along the way. But I’m truly enjoying having a small part in each one. See you at 5am EST.😉
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Jane Cardillo retweeted
Mike Reynolds@MikeRey61920141
May 19
I know that your personal road to hell is paved with good ones. Mine, not so much. Bad #intent incarnate; that would be me. Lots and lots of venal and probably quite a few mortal; sin and I go WAY back. Be seeing you on the way. #vss365
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Sometimes you can feel #intent. If she’s standing over you with a bloody knife, she’s probably not there to wish you a nice day. But I will. Good morning! Today, May 19, 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Intent
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Kids at school called her the girl who was raised by wolves. Her matted hair and grubby face gave her a #feral look. But at night, away from the taunts of her schoolmates, she curled up in the den, nestled against the she-wolf and felt unconditional love. #vss365
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We all have that one friend Someone who bends every rule they touch Someone wild enough to frighten us a little Someone who’s — Feral Today, May 18, 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Feral
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So many incredible stories yesterday, each one a spark in the dark. It was a privilege to read them all. I’m drawn to prompts that shift depending on the light. Today, May 17 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Luminous
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When I was little I had (what Bob Dylan called) a flesh-coloured Christ that glowed in the dark. My older brother was a big Dylan fan and I listened along. At night in bed I'd read by the light of the #luminous Jesus statue. It was a good time to be a Catholic kid. #vss365
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Jane Cardillo retweeted
Mike Reynolds@MikeRey61920141
May 17
My girlfriend is #luminous. There is a lovely glow about her. Kind of yellow green and she pulsates. It's really handy when I drop stuff on the floor in the dark, but I need a mask in order to get any sleep at all. I am a little worried; my hair's started to fall out... #vss365
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The #barren land howls A cry of abandonment At the cloudless sky The merciless sun beats down Rain, the land pleads, please God, rain #vss365 #Tanka #micropoetry
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Yaw Ayisi@ayisi_yaw
May 16
With his pale horse and scythe, the Grim Reaper canters through a barren field of fallen soldiers, claiming their souls, while the parched earth is salted with their blood. #vss365 #vssfantasy
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Good morning fellow word slingers. It’s an honor to serve as your #vss365 host. I’ve scheduled my prompts to drop each morning at 9AM GMT or 5 AM EST. Today, May 16 2026, your #vss365 #prompt is #Barren.
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Toshi 🇯🇵@toshi_japan48
May 16
In the forest, I find forgiveness— it is enough to be just as I am. #vss365 #forgiveeness #haiku
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