We always get asked what’s your ideal “perfect day,”
As I’ve gotten older, it’s changed in so many ways.
The place I’m at in my life, it’s very simplistic,
Especially since I’ve grown, aged and learned so much about myself.
A perfect day for me is actually by myself,
It’s an every Friday thing that I always do.
Waking up to sun shining bright through my window,
As I open the shades in my apartment to embrace nature.
I start my day drinking warm water to open my stomach,
Then making myself a good breakfast which consists of waffles, a muffin and fruit.
Next comes stretching my body and packing my bag,
To venture out into the world, embrace and appreciate nature.
I put on my helmet, put on my earplugs, put my backpack on my back,
Hopping on my bike to go on a nice bike ride through my neighborhood.
As I ride my bike and cross streets, I’m appreciating the sunlight hitting my skin,
As my eyes look at the world from behind my sunglasses.
I look at the mountains as it becomes beautiful scenery,
Making my way to a long bike path to get a few miles in.
The music playing can be anything from hip-hop to lofi music,
Most of the time, it’s a playlist I created where I don’t skip songs.
There are people on the path walking or biking, sometimes it’s a good morning,
Most times, it’s just me being in the moment and thinking about nothing.
After three miles, it’s off to the basketball court,
To get a workout in where it’s me, my basketball and the rim.
For an hour and a half, it’s working out, people watching and listening to music,
There isn’t a care in the world, no lists to do, no phone calls,
No social media, no text messages, my world is quiet.
After a workout, it’s resting and recovering my body,
Friday nights sometimes consist of me watching something that will give me content ideas.
It’s reflection of my week, goals I’ve accomplished, talking to my mom,
She always finds a way to say something funny and we crack jokes.
It’s funny how as we get older, life becomes simpler,
It’s the little things that make us happy and feel fulfilled.
The joy and happiness I feel spending time in nature brings perspective to my life,
It’s what I’ve longed for and now, it’s become a beautiful reality…
Greetings,
Your expression of finding beauty in the joy of the mundane rest day is relatable.
I think everyone can agree that a rest day in solitude is sometimes preferred after maintaining and surviving life. Nicely done!
Lauren! You’re awesome and so kind with your words. Thank you for all that you do on the Unsealed, I’m able to share my story because of the platform you’ve created. Happy Holidays and wishing you a great 2024! You’re surely destined for great things in this life!
Thanks for your great words, all of what you said is so true. Yes the present can be scary but only because we sometimes focus on rewriting the past or reliving moments over again to make tweaks and changes. For me, it’s about leaving a legacy when I’m done with my writing journey and that’s what matters the most on this journey of life.
Thanks for your words Gie, I appreciate it so much! Writers are always going to be inspired to write no matter what happens in our lives. The world is our oysters to learn, observe and pen what we are feeling in the moment. Keep going, stay motivated and know that your journey is worth going through to keep others going.
Thanks so much Rebecca, I truly appreciate it! I love sharing my thoughts, feelings and hopefully inspiring others with my writing. The thoughts are always flowing.
Thanks so much Lauren, your encouraging words always keep me inspired and motivated to write more! I’m thankful I get to share my thoughts on a great platform!
Thank you for sharing your piece!! I truly love the growth you see within yourself. Im gratful for being expressionistic . I truly hope it gets better and better for you.
I love this. It sounds like you have created and or pursued an environment that gives you peace, and you have gravitated to people who truly make you feel like your life is a home. I love that for you, and I hope we all find such peace in our lives. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for being part of The Unsealed family. We have missed you…read more
Thank you for your kind words Lauren, it makes me smile! You surely know what it’s like to go through major changes in your life. I can bet that you grew so much as a woman when you make your moves to different cities. In a few days, it will be three years I’ve lived in Arizona and it’s so fulfilling.
Thanks so much Tracy, you’re accurate in all that you’re saying. There’s just so many things going on with us as human beings. I have moments where I write deeper poems that makes us all think.
Thanks Lauren, our grandparents are secretly our superheroes when they’re here physically but become our guardian angels in spirit when they’re physically gone.
We speak of wanting peace of mind daily,
But is that actually what we’re seeking?
Think about it for a moment,
As you’re being distracted by noise pollution.
The notification of a text or email on your phone,
The sound of your phone vibrating or ringing.
Or what about the TV playing in the background,
Or any other tech device that encompasses your life.
Or what about the constant noise pollution of the world,
From social media apps to billboards advertising what to buy.
Or what about the relationship you refuse to let go of,
Because of the insecure thoughts that infiltrate your mind.
You’d rather deal with the chaos and dysfunction,
Than look at your reflection and dig deep into your soul.
You can lie to those around you,
Your reflection and soul you can’t lie to.
We won’t heal from our childhoods and adult experiences,
We’d rather put a bandaid on it and hope it stays on.
When in actuality you have deep wounds,
That need stitches and consistent healing.
We’d rather bury our sorrows with unsolicited hookups,
Or drowning in alcohol like it’s a swimming pool of chlorine.
We’d rather hide our sadness and disappointments,
Through smiles in front of others and highlighted pics and reels on social media.
We’d rather deflect and focus on other things,
Distracting ourselves from our inner truths of who we really are.
We love to hide our truths,
Knowing we’re seeking deeper connections.
We’d rather tell concocted lies,
Than sharing our hidden truths.
The concocted lie can be we’re good,
When the hidden truth is we’re mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically drained.
The concocted lie is we’re happy in all aspects of our lives,
The hidden truth is we’re lonely and in need of comfort.
So do we really want peace of mind?
Or do we just thrive more in chaos and dysfunction?
Jamell, this poem is exactly what is going on in the world today. I believe it is a huge culprit of why social relationships are falling apart all around us. All of us in some way need a human connection, but we have to choose to be open and honest about how we feel. Thank you for sharing your work.
Thanks so much Tracy, you’re accurate in all that you’re saying. There’s just so many things going on with us as human beings. I have moments where I write deeper poems that makes us all think.
My writing journey started at age 13,
I never knew my poetry would take me far.
I’d spend years writing various things,
Life, love, struggles, anything I can think of.
Then my 30s hit and it was time for a change,
Writing became my change of pace in life.
When I get asked why should be given the utmost respect,
The best answer I can give is, I’m writing books on social issues.
I’m trying to change the world one book at a time,
I’ve been on this journey for over 7 years.
From almost losing my mother,
To being hit by a car the day before my mom’s birthday.
Then battling depression and anxiety,
And getting the help that I needed through therapy.
See, I have to be transparent in my journey,
Because my story can give people hope to keep going.
No matter what happened, the writing continued,
Even when I moved across the country to a new city.
Scared out of my mind with no one to fall back on,
And now I’m settled into a place for the foreseeable future.
I’m over 50 books into my journey,
I’ll hit my goal of 60 and still keep pushing on.
I continually try to motivate and inspire others,
To strive for greatness, don’t settle and know what your end goal is.
I may not have the most resilient story in my life,
But I can truthfully say that whatever you’re going through, keep going.
I’m not one to give up on something and it’s why I write the books,
It’s why I write blogs, record podcasts.
In the end, it’ll all be worth it, I don’t care for fame,
I care most about starting conversations through my stories.
So never give up, find your moniker and go after it,
The journey won’t be easy but remember, life is a marathon…
Hello Jamell,
m You have so much wisdom to offer the world. It is wonderful that you push yourself to share that wisdom and inspire others the your books. Good luck in your healing journey!
Aww Jamell! You have so many reasons to be proud. Your heart, your books, and your advocacy are a gift to the world! Thank You for being you. I am so glad you are part of The Unsealed family. <3 Lauren
Thanks so much Lauren, your encouraging words always keep me inspired and motivated to write more! I’m thankful I get to share my thoughts on a great platform!
Thanks so much Rebecca, I truly appreciate it! I love sharing my thoughts, feelings and hopefully inspiring others with my writing. The thoughts are always flowing.
Life for sure is a marathon! Thank you for sharing a bit of your story!! And 50 books in is TOTES AMAZING!! I pray you continue to socially insprire the weak, prep the kindhearted and soar well above your wildest dreams!! Writing is like that for Me also. I have suffered greatly. Some things I couldn’t believe happened to Me. Like why…. but like…read more
Thanks for your words Gie, I appreciate it so much! Writers are always going to be inspired to write no matter what happens in our lives. The world is our oysters to learn, observe and pen what we are feeling in the moment. Keep going, stay motivated and know that your journey is worth going through to keep others going.
Hi, Jamell. Aiša here. Thank you for sharing your story and all the encouragement that comes with it. I found your comparison of writing to a change of pace in life to be beautiful and I couldn’t agree more. It certainly deserves all the credit for having helped me. We’ve all heard the saying, ‘we can’t make time, but we can take time’. Yet,…read more
Thanks for your great words, all of what you said is so true. Yes the present can be scary but only because we sometimes focus on rewriting the past or reliving moments over again to make tweaks and changes. For me, it’s about leaving a legacy when I’m done with my writing journey and that’s what matters the most on this journey of life.
The title of this letter/post can sum up what I’m about to pen right now. What’s going on in the world currently, sadly I predicted years ago. See, I have this published book called “The World In Ruins” that I published in 2018 outlining what the world could end up being if we didn’t get our acts together.
What’s going on in Palestine and Israel is deeply saddening and it makes me think of certain chapters I wrote. ‘The World In Ruins’ chronicles a young kid who has a dream of what the future of this planet would be and it wasn’t good at all.
What makes it worse is the majority of what I wrote has already happened in a five year time span. I’m no George Orwell who wrote the timeless classic of 1984 (which was one of two books that inspired ‘The World In Ruins’).
I have a myriad of emotions but what can I do? I don’t want to become the prototypical guy who allows the media to dictate what to post on my social media platforms. I was never that guy and never will be.
To be the watcher, observer of what’s going on around me has become a huge component to what I write and how I write. I don’t consider myself to be any better than anyone else. I’m a human being like everyone else, just an average Joe. I just happen to be a decent writer that tells stories, that’s all.
Sadly, I always say to God, “I didn’t sign up for this.” This is not the world I want to live in and be part of. Somehow I have a role in changing the landscape of this world and sometimes I wonder if writing is all I need to be doing.
There’s guilt I should be doing more but I’m part of a system where I have to work to be able to provide for myself. Where do I fit in, in all of this? How does my voice fit in with those directly being affected by these catastrophic events?
Those are questions I don’t have answers to. Which somehow I feel is not a good thing. There are days where I’m mentally drained of all the negativity. Where music is my only escape from reality.
I can’t imagine being bombed where I live. I can’t imagine the trauma people will experience and carry with them the rest of their lives. We are at a place where the world is crumbling right before our eyes and all I can do is visualize the words I penned in my book.
There are things that aren’t as important to me anymore. Sports, watching TV for hours on end, being out all of the time. Now it’s writing books, recording audiobooks and podcasts, motivating and inspiring others, working out, reading and trying to make sense of this world and lifetime I’m living in.
All I can do is learn from those who really know the realities of their home country and be supportive. Or is there more I can do? Hopefully I figure that out. I can’t say the cliche line “pray” or “have hope.” It’s gonna take a collective effort to share the truths of what’s going on because the media will paint the story and image how “they” want you to view it.
There’s a lot to unpack and I don’t need to see the videos and images to understand the atrocities that’s going on. I’ve seen enough death in my lifetime, I’m good.
If we’re given platforms to share things, let’s learn from each other, share our truths but also expose the truths of what’s going on.
Just know behind my smile, there is a lot that goes on in my mind, I just don’t share it all…
“If we’re given platforms to share things, let’s learn from each other, share our truths but also expose the truths of what’s going on.” – This piece is so real and so powerful. Sending you a really big hug. <3 Lauren
Dee,
I love this poem, the imagery, analogies to life. It paints a picture of life and how nature works. These are the poems that make you think about life and appreciate how rain is a good thing.