I have spent most of my life trying to learn how to love myself.
After leaving an abusive relationship in January of 2001 I was a complete mess. I was a single mother of three little ones that needed me to pull through. There you will find your strength. Someone, somewhere, still loves you. Deep into your core. Do not be afraid to be who you are, because YOU are love.
I started to write poetry.
One lonely night, after my kids were in bed, I started to reflect. The darkness seemed to slowly fade away, and the following words flowed freely, and opened up my closed heart.
I felt compelled to share it with The Unsealed family. Here goes my heart.
Someone, somewhere out there loves you. They love you for who you are, and they love you for your heart. They love you for everything that you stand for, and that you believe in. They do not hurt you, but encourage you to follow your dreams. They will not tear you down, but will wipe away the tears. when you are too weak from crying, they will hold you. When you feel as if your heart is breaking, and you do not think that you can go on, there, you will find your inner strength. Your power, your truth. do not ever be afraid, to be who you truly are. YOU are loved by you.
You will embrace the changes, the struggles and those pains. Please, don’t you ever feel like you need to change to be loved. Love is who you are.
Your road has been hard. It has been paved with loneliness.
If being lonely is what it takes to find YOU again, then let it be. Don’t be afraid to travel this world alone. take time to observe all of humanity.
You have found that we are all different on the outside, but we all bleed the same. Broken people will hurt you often due to their own pains. You will learn to spot them. Careful who you let in. Do not be cold, that is not who you are. Expand love within.
When all is said and done, you will find that you have walked many journeys in solitude. Alone. You have learned that people, are people, they trip up just like you. You have learned that holding onto bitterness, and anger is a huge mistake. It will only hurt you. Knowing that you are unstoppable. You keep moving on. At the end of the road, you will find that someone, somewhere, has been with you through the battles and that they have loved you all along…

I wrote these words the night that I found myself again. When I realized that all I needed to do was to love myself. It is still an every day battle at times, but I love the woman that I have become. Thank you for reading. I hope that it makes a bit of sense to someone.

The world runs around and bucks you
Of your trajectory with minutiea that drive you
Up a wall, and down into darkness which blinds
Your senses that either gives adrenaline or freezes
You into a statue that’s blind, deaf, and dumb.

Your vision turns into bright starts that short-
Circuit your mind with blinding light whose sport
Is to suppress your logic, embracing emotions
That turn you deaf to all evidence against your passions.
Those then steal your ability to speak your mind.

As the world moves round and round, like a merry
Go round, so do you try to stave off the shocks that ferry
You into dismay as experiences are disillusioningly
Petrifying, with their obstacles and demands
On your taking a stand outside your comfort zones.

Stay the course.
Stand tall.
Savor each experience.
Strengthen your faith with failure or success.
Sever negative relationships,

And let your self-confidence emerge
A snow white pigeon of peace and verve of life.

©️ Malak kalmoni chehab ©️

I’m grateful for my life even when I can’t quite feel my purpose. I somehow just know that is a gift. The colors of the sky and the beauty of nature each morning when I wake.
I’m grateful for my Grandmother and her loving arms and guidance. For her health and her unconditional love. Her arms and her hugs. Her wisdom and her patience.
I’m grateful for my grown children, each day my heart swells even more with pride.
I’m grateful for the hugs, the hikes,and the laughter as well as the memories that we have all shared. I’m grateful for the man that stands by my side who stepped up when the others stepped away. He stayed. He stayed.
I’m grateful for my pets, for the soft and gentle kisses and nudges of support when I am often too overwhelmed and emotional to see the bright side. They pull me back and ground me. It’s unconditional love at the finest.
I’m grateful for my GOD next without him, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m grateful for second chances and the lessons that I have learned along the way.
I’m grateful for the birds and the wild animals as they sing their beautiful songs.
I’m grateful for the Drs that fix me when I can’t go on.
I’m grateful for the strangers that become friends and the presence of angels in my time of need.
I’m grateful for family. Distant and close by. I’m grateful for my beautiful cousin. She is my hero. She saved my heart and gave me peace when I was absolutely dying inside.
I’m grateful for my kind heart, and for my strength. For being determined to survive.
I’m grateful for the dreamers. The encouragers and those that gently push.
I’m grateful for my counselor as she helps me take my control back and gives me the confidence to keep pushing on.
I’m grateful for the unsealed family who write the tender and vulnerable stories from their hearts.
I’m grateful for their transparent and beautiful hearts.
🤍

I always tell people the most important things to life,

Being good mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It’s what I’m grateful for in my life,

The journey to get to where I am currently.

Mentally where I wake up everyday and feel good,

Where my mind isn’t cluttered and full of uncertainty.

There’s a joy and happiness to where my mind is,

Where I’m able to feel and be myself more.

Physically, I’m thankful to be healthy,

Where I can workout daily and keep my body in shape.

My body is well-rested most days and I’m energized,

I’m rejuvenated and I always feel good.

Spiritually I’m around people who bring me happiness,

Meeting people who have good energy to them.

Meeting someone who I’ve grown close to,

Having a spiritual connection that brings me happiness and peace.

To have my mom who brings my spirits up daily,

Sharing laughter, jokes and sometimes deep conversations about life.

To feel good emotionally where the sun shines bright,

Through the windows that fulfill my soul with views of the city I live in.

To be grateful for life’s simplicities,

A home, food, clothes and people who are important to me in my life.

I’m thankful where I am in my life,

And looking forward to all that’s to come in my life.

Jamell Crouthers

I sit up,
Look up,
Firing my appreciation
To God, in whose contemplation,
Veneration, I’m engrossed
In my thanks to all that
I’ve got, that’s on the spot:
Family to love and cherish,
Kin to pray and think of me as I perish,
Friends who’ll miss my presence,
As our discussions cover matters that hence
Ruminate over social changes
Trending through social media’s
Imposing pressure over all genders
And age groups who surrenders
Their freedom to bondage
Of our sovereignty over our charge:
Our immortal soul, whose barred
From its morality, replaced
By being led to sins that destroy
Your connection to the All Mighty. A ploy,
To reduce believers that rebel against sins of immorality.

In the morning, I kneel and pray
Thankful for another day
To be alive and wonder aloud
Because today I can be proud

A selfish thing once was I
Drinking and using, living a lie
Now I am free from burden and strife
I’m grateful that I can live my life

I’m grateful for another chance
To exist in this world, to steal a glance
At what my future could possibly hold
And to see what my story will unfold

Here in the present there are many things
Paintings to paint, and songs to sing
Hands to grasp, and lips to kiss
A life to live, I nearly did miss

I’m grateful for grass underneath my feet
I’m grateful that my heart still beats
I’m grateful that I choose myself
I’m grateful for my growing health

Each day I live brings something new
A different thought, a sky so blue
And with supportive family and friends
I’m grateful that my life won’t end

But what I am most grateful for
Is having you walk through my door
A love I cannot ever explain
You are my sun and falling rain

With you by my side, there’s always light
Hope and joy and sparks ignite
I’m grateful to be sober with you
And to live a life I never knew

Everything means so much to me
I never thought that I could be
Happy and in a better place
A second chance to show me grace

I’m grateful at night to go to sleep
And dream a dream so very deep
But before all that, I kneel and pray
And thank God for another day

What am I most thankful for
I’m thankful for my children. They’re grown now and they are both healthy, smart and inquisitive. They brighten my day.
I’m thankful I’m alive to witness everything in life My goal is to learn from my mistakes and I’m thankful I have coping skills.
I don’t have much but I’m thankful I have a roof over my head.
I’m thankful I have helped others. I’m thankful I can take constructive criticism and I’m able to endure it.
I’m thankful to have a sister, that’s about all the family I have.
I’m thankful for my job and the ability to be able to work with injuries and mental illness, I persevere. I have been in situations where I shouldn’t be alive but I’m thankful that I am.
I’m thankful that I can see the leaves on the trees change.
I’m thankful I can breathe, though I don’t have a range
My life has been hard It’s been marred by sadness and violence but I’ve remained silenced.

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…

Jamell Crouthers