I remember years ago when I visited an art gallery for extra credit. I saw a door with a note telling me to take off my shoes after I enter and before I proceed down the dark passageway. It also told me to do whatever felt natural. I followed the light to an enclosed space with dirt and leaves all over the floor. A swing was hanging from the ceiling in front of a projection of a girl swinging in and out of the darkness. At first, I hesitated and just watched the girl dip in and out of existence. Finally, I gave in and sat on the swing. My bare feet brushed against the leaves and dirt as I worked up some momentum. As I swung back and forth, childhood memories swung back into my brain. I saw myself swinging in my neighbor’s backyard because I didn’t have my own swing set. I’d try to touch the sky with my toes. That little girl didn’t have a care in the world.

May you always find the time to swing your cares away, Lauren. Happy Day of Birth!

For Lauren

Dancing across the stage of Life

The Real Goal is to start a flame of Passion

To Ignite another’s Soul to move the mountains

You wished you could

To Inspire is the greatest gift

You will ever be given.

Real Beauty and Wisdom that come with Age

Should always be celebrated and cherished

by the World

Thank you Lauren! Happy Birthday!

Lauren, I’ve always referred to you as a gem because from the beginning that is exactly what you have been to Me.

Bright, empowering and solid.

You have pushed us all here in the Unsealed community to reach new potentials within ourselves and do things even when we are scared.

You have pushed past so much self adversity, harsh character traits in people and career let downs that strengthened you so much that you’ve used said strength to encourage everyone around you.

You are abundantly patient.

You allow others to bare their souls and feed yours while showing some of the highest forms of empathy and compassion I’ve ever seen.

You love the core of a person. And cast no judgment, even virtually I can feel your sincerity.

You are not afraid to admit your flaws and learn how to shape up better for the future.

The sparkle in your eyes that illuminates when you have an idea you just can’t wait to share is legit!

I love that about you.

You are you.

Blue Zircon.

A December gem, representing spiritual growth, beauty, peace and wisdom.

You are the embodiment of such.

I thank you for simply being you.

Gem, I am wishing you all the continued love, peace, and joy on this birthday and cheers to many many more to come.

You deserve all the candles to come true.

Dear Lauren,

Happy Birthday!!

Today is YOUR day to receive gifts; I hope these letters are ones that you can open at any present moment, and feel LOVED AND APPRECIATED!

With that being said, and I say this with NO EXAGGERATION, THE UNSEALED IS, and will ALWAYS BE, one of the BEST PRESENTS EVER given to ME (even if I purchased it myself)🤣

As you probably know, words, phrases, etc, mean the world to me!

The IMPACT that this phrase:

“TURN YOUR SECRETS INTO SUPERPOWERS – Lauren Brill has on me is one that is on top of the standings for me!

Through YOUR STORY AND the creation of THE UNSEALED, YOU HAVE taught me not only to talk with pride about my difference to literary WALK with PRIDE, and do NOT let ANYONE step on your toes, PREVENTING you to go after your dreams and GOALS!

Much ❤️

Jake

Dear Lauren,
I heard you had a birthday coming up real soon. I’m so glad I got the message so I could wish you a very happy birthday! I hope you get to enjoy every hour, every minute, and every second of it. I also hope you eat lots of apple pie– or the foods you want to eat on your special day. Happy Birthday, Lauren (L)! May you have a billion more birthdays in the future!

Sincerely,

Sunset comes in muted hues

Orange fire and baby blues

Seaside skies, so vast in views

Birds pass lovers, two by twos

The day erased to bygone news

Sunlight fades to starry muse

Gentle flames from bonfires fuse

Bring restful bliss from daytime’s ruse

From sunrise lies to nighttime truths

Our life resets when dawn renews

Oh-three-thirty
the “am” is implied
it can be considered (in military speak)
as zero-dark-thirty
either way, wakefulness is present
outside the sleeping bag cover in camp.

Yeah, still dark outside
my hound and I go out
and the in the darkness
all one has to do is look
up. There is the splendor
of the night sky, clear, starry, unobscured.

Funny how neither of us even thought
about the night critters that may be about
he relying on my presence for safety
my reliance on him for his superior night vision
and sense of smell to warn.

What pictures are there painted in the dark
with steadying brush in hand, trying not to drip
dusky colors off the palette?

Looking up, at the show of night sky
there is no admission, save wakefulness
the theater is quiet, as if in anticipation
of the drawing back that thick purple curtain
still no noises, the dark is silent.

My eyes only see the the vision of the stars
that I am native to see
over the treetops to the left
are such bright pinpoints
close together enough to be a cluster, perhaps
one must be a planet, intense light from there
I shall have to find out which
still I realize that the visions
from the Webb space telescope
are far more lustrous, clearer.

Returning to the tent
the hot coffee is waiting
mist curling up off the coffeepot spout
like some close up nebulae in the cool morn.

I am full of wonder
not sleep, that was a thing of an hour ago

awaiting the sunrise,
and its chase of the darkness into the distant west.

Poem copyrighted 2023, Ray Whitaker

Dear, Unsealers:

Welcome to the month of December!

After the marathon that 2023 has been, we’ve reached the last mile. The finish line is in sight.

The first day of December is a very special day, as it’s my sister and I’s birthday.

38 years.

I’ve already been in tears twice today and I’m sure it’ll happen a few more times before this day ends thinking about it.

As my sister and I weren’t supposed to survive being born prematurely. My parents didn’t expect us to live but we did. And through all of the challenges that life has brought us, we’ve thrived.

If not for my sister, I wouldn’t love traveling, live music and theater. She’s been the source of strength and resilience that I look up to every day. Most importantly, she’s the first person to believe that I’m capable of a lot more than my cerebral palsy lets on.

My sister is my twin, my other half, my best friend and my hero.

Woke up in a daze not feeling like I wanted to go to work. I attempted to call out. Talked to my boss it was a definite NO, I need you come in… Uhg so I did. feeling bad about leaving my boss hangin I strolled in to work every thing was fine just as it should be. I set up and took my first client.second, third and so on and so forth, I noticed a boy and his mother walk in and sit down. The mother was called by the stylist the sat up front probably about 11 or 12 I would say… All of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I see him grabbing his throat and trying to cough. Without even a thought or a memory of how I got from.here to there it was like an outer body experience watching from above myself in motion attending and defending this little boys will to live. It was crazy, each thrust I felt his body get tighter it seemed like forever I was giving the heimlich maneuver. I’ll tell ya… it wasn’t “I hope” this thing. Comes out it was “going to” come out…. And it did the boy with a blue hue had a natural color to him again.
thank you to who ever what ever that was that came over me the boy started to cough just as the EMTs arrived I stepped a way. They were all clapping, my boss was crying and shaking as was I. My boss pulled me out back to talk she was like how, why if you took the day off…. I just glad you were here today.
The mother of the boy however was beyond her self gave me a hug asked how could she ever repay me for saving the boy I said to her… Him being
alive and breathing is payment enough.
This is my memorable moment….

Dear Unsealers,

I wrote this on the tarmac of my local airport as I witnessed my 16 year old son take his first solo flight. He didn’t even have a drivers license, yet he strapped into the cockpit of a single engine plane and piloting towards the runway. I felt helpless, proud, scared to death, and wanting to run behind his plane all at once. After what felt like a heart stopping forever, he skillfully landed the plane and taxied in. This moment will always be surreal and magical for me.

AIRBORNE

You sail across the mid-day sky

The wind upon my sullen face

You climb to heights unseen

I feel weightless

Like a feather tossed along by the playful wind

My mind is blank, like sterile moonlight

Your heart is warm, like the velvety morning sun

I feel helpless and hopeful

You are falling, drifting, gliding across the open horizon

I can move and love, freely

You can feel all of Earth beneath your unmarred feet

I hold the Universe across my fragile shoulders

And the silence roars into my ears

Along with the bristling of my every hair

The windy tears dry upon my sunburnt cheeks

You are weightless, drifting, soaring

And after seconds that seem like fragments of eternity

Gently, you land, into my embrace

Dear Younger Self,

I hope this letter finds you well, full of curiosity, and with a heart full of dreams. I know that as you grow older, life might become more complicated, but I want to share some words of advice and encouragement with you. First and foremost, please remember that you are enough just as you are. You don’t need to change to fit someone else’s idea of perfection. Embrace your uniqueness, your quirks, and your individuality. These are the qualities that will make you stand out in a world filled with conformity.

Life will throw its fair share of curveballs your way. Some will be difficult to handle, and you’ll feel like you’re drowning in a sea of uncertainty. But let me assure you that you are stronger than you think. With each challenge that comes your way, you’ll grow, learn, and evolve. These experiences will shape you into a resilient and compassionate individual.

Don’t be afraid to take risks. The biggest regrets often stem from opportunities not taken. Be bold in pursuing your dreams and passions. It’s okay to make mistakes; they are valuable lessons that will help you become wiser.

Nurture your relationships. The people who love and support you are your greatest treasures. Cherish every moment with them, and never take their presence for granted. Be patient and forgiving, both with others and with yourself.

Remember to take care of your body and mind. Your health is a precious gift, and self-care should be a priority. Eat well, stay active, and find time to relax and rejuvenate.

Education is a powerful tool, and it will open doors to new opportunities and ideas. Keep your thirst for knowledge alive. Read, explore, and never stop asking questions.

Lastly, the world can be a complex and sometimes daunting place, but don’t let it deter you. There is so much beauty to discover, and your journey is just beginning. Trust in yourself, follow your heart, and embrace the adventure that is life.

I believe in you, younger self. You have the potential to achieve incredible things, to make a difference, and to find happiness in unexpected places. Be kind, be brave, and always hold on to your dreams.

With love and encouragement,

Lisa

Dear Unsealers,

Kalimera, from my office cubicle.

It’s been four days since I’ve returned back to NYC from Greece. I’ve been alternating between being glad to be back home after the fourteen day trip and missing being out on the road. As this trip has been quite an odyssey, of the non-Homeric kind.

Never did I imagine being able to climb up the Acropolis and seeing the Parthenon bathed in morning daylight. Or the twists and turns at Mycenae, the elevation to reach the monastery at Meteora and the seas of humanity at Fira and Oia. But I did all of it.

Nor, did I imagine taking part in a Greek cooking lesson, and Greek dancing not once, but twice. Lest I forget, a soccer team, AEK Athens and their fans invaded our hotel in Crete with their chants bringing a smile to this soccer fan’s face.

And for the big finish, a catamaran cruise around the islands of Santorini.

With me at my most blissful state, going down the ladder with my shirt off into the water and not feeling self-conscious for even one second in doing so. Just soaking up the sunlight with my fellow travelers on a sunny day.

The thirty two travelers in the group began to be like family as the trip went on, looking out for me as one of the few solo travelers.

As I responded to the email from the customer service department of the travel company used to book this trip, I couldn’t help but feel sad after I pressed send. After nine months of waiting and fourteen days of travel, this chapter of the travel story is closed. I haven’t been adjusting well to being back on this side of the Atlantic, though.

The sadness of being home will pass. Yet, the memories of this trip will stay with me forever. And there’s always the next trip to plan for.

I’m hopeful that I’ll be back on the road traveling internationally at this time next year.

A heartfelt Yamas! to our guide Dina, to our drivers during the trip Yannis, Nikos and Vorgios, to the college students and professional dances that joined us in Crete and to the thirty one fellow travelers that joined me on this trip.

The company that one is with makes the journey all the more special, as this trip was.

To a local bar we went with the intention of having a drink and blowing off some steam. at this point in time I was at the end of a bad relationship, and could have never imagined what lye await that night.
We walked in took a left and sat down. As we watched the bar stools like hawks, I noticed this good looking man out of the corner of my eye. At the time I didn’t pay much attention to him, just a good looking guy right? Except there was something,
Some seats finally opened up at the bar and Michelle and I took our rightful seats, ordered a drink and the night began… Getting up to use the bathroom after two or three drinks, I came back to take my seat once again, low and behold he (The good looking guy from earlier) had the nerve to take my seat. Me feeling a little tipsy and ballsy decided to tap on his shoulder and give him a peace of mind because at that point I was not in the mood to play this game, I couldn’t believe this guy
He turned to me and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, he exclaimed he was sorry and gave me my seat back like a gentleman. I was impressed to say the least, But still just chalked it up to some bar banter. I’m not going to lie though my heart did begin to race a little, it was that feeling again But why was I feeling this with someone I just met we hadn’t even really talked what was I thinking, so we talk some more and suddenly we began kissing… God it was awesome I couldn’t stop myself it was like I released my body into his and everything fell into place exactly how it should have, it was like a storybook it felt amazing.
So here I am in a bar with my friend kissing a man I never met before, but it felt so right, so good. This kissing went on for a good hour and a half, this was in front of everyone in the bar and I could have given a shit less…then
it was time to go like someone blowing out of flame when it gets too tall, so we exchanged numbers and I left simple as that you say? (Oh no no no) certainly not. I Get in the car and knew I made a huge mistake, I needed to have him with me. If I didn’t act fast I might never see him again I told my friend this, she told me “go get him!”… so I ran back in as fast as I could. Was I wrong? was I making a mistake? was this a bad move? was he going to turn me down? who knows… I’m just going to do it. So I get up the nerve to run back in I spot him and I grab his arm and lead him to my car, he came! holy crap! he went with it! thank God!
What was I supposed to do now I had no idea, so I just went with it. We dropped Michelle off and went back to get his car, he asked me if I smoked I said I did, so we engaged in a bowl. It was awesome I finally had someone to smoke with. It was so relaxing and mellow to be hanging out with him He’s amazing, how did this happen?

Nowadays he’s the love of my life, I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of that one night at the bar.