A nightmare became real a few days ago
Seeing it unfold in Baltimore on Twitter X
was confirmation of its existence
Thankfully, you, and I were nowhere near it
But other humans were in the eye of a storm
A storm they didn’t see coming
A storm they never thought would come to pass
A storm they didn’t think
would be the final chapter they would see
In a dark atmosphere
The almost hero of the night
did his best to hold himself up
But the boat’s power that glided in his path
was too much for him to handle
His strength quickly dissipated into nothingness
and finally collapsed into cold and dark waters
along with the people he tried to save
It’s a sad situation
seeing events like this affecting the human nation
It’s another reminder to appreciate life
And to live it with all our might.

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,
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,

Dear Cranberry Sauce,

It’s that time of year again to embrace you with an open heart. A lot of your fans are ready to devour you. Good memories of you flood my brain and give me happy thoughts. I’m eager to make more memories of you this holiday season with turkey, stuffing, candy yams, macaroni & cheese, and mixed vegetables.

Like biscuits with honey or cereal with milk, you and those foods work well together. You all are The Avengers of Food. Touching souls and hearts during the holidays. This is the perfect time for you with so much negative news consuming the world.

I believe cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving/Christmas can stop the wars that give the Earth sleepless nights. Maybe instead of sending money/resources, Congress should send lots of cranberry sauce cans overseas. That with some warm holiday food could take the blues away for good. One can only hope.

In the meantime, typing words and hoping they can help turn the negative tide will continue to be the game plan for now, and Thanksgiving/Christmas food with cranberry sauce.

Sincerely,

The dim sky takes over my room
Giving it a feeling of gloom 
A thunderstorm must be on the way
And to keep the sunny skies far away

But the sun looks like it’s still alive
The usual bright blue sky barely thrives
The sky in its own way is calling me
To make me see what it wants me to see

The odd-looking sun is working hard to set itself free
But is surrounded by a legion of clouds
That roared loud and proud
I forgot the eclipse rules

Never look up without the tool
That’ll keep your eyes safe
and from being baked
My eyes remain alive
From the beautiful view that made me smile inside

I wish I had seen the ring of fire in its full glory
But at least there’s another eclipse I can add to my life story.

Who am I? A mere mortal; a body of flesh and bones that moves amongst earth until it’s buried beneath it? Am I more than the blood in my veins or the organs within my vessel?

Who am I? A glistening sphere of light; a soul that brings joy and peace to others lives? Am I more than my empathy or the love within my heart?

Who am I? A deck of cards; the many faces that bring luck and abundance to some, but fateful defeat to others? Am I more than the value that others put on me?

Who am I? The Earth’s moon; the phases of darkness and illumination that pierce the cracks of my shadow? Am I more than the waves and chaos that I create?

Who am I? What is my purpose? To accept the fact that everything is temporary and attachments are unnecessary? To bring a sense of comfort and calmness to my inner and outer world? To show others that they all have a bright light within them, even if it may have been dimmed or distorted along the journey?

Who am I to judge anyone, including myself, when I am just a human being like you? Who am I to shame anyone, including myself, when we’re all guessing and learning along the way? Who am I to know what’s best for anyone, when the only shoes I’ve walked in are my own?

Who am I?

I am me. I am a person full of anger and sadness that weighs heavy on my body. I am a human full of flaws and imperfections that make me unique. I am a woman full of strength and kindness that pours from within. I am a soul full of empathy and compassion that overflows from the depths of my heart.

I am light, even with the shadow.
I am love, even with the heaviness.
I am peace, even with the chaos.

Last night, I didn’t sleep well, as I had several nightmares. I was haunted by the endless images I saw in the news: A young woman’s naked, lifeless, unconscious (possibly deceased) body being paraded around as a trophy after Hamas attacked young people at a music festival in Israel, a 25-year-old woman begging for her life as she was taken as a hostage and babies whose faces were covered in dust and blood from the bombs thrown near their homes.

When I awoke this morning, I immediately read the news to see the latest. And while the horror continues on the other side of the world, I was also disheartened to learn that hate was just outside my doorstep.

People at rallies down the street from where I slept last night are wearing, holding, and celebrating images of swastikas and promoting anti-semitic rhetoric. For the first time in my life, I was and am scared to be Jewish.

While I have been doing my best to educate myself through the news, friends, and online resources, I am not going to sit here and pretend I fully understand the conflict between Palestine and Israel – because I don’t. And I know that it’s natural and easy to see the world through the lens of my own experiences and identity.

However, we all, myself included, should see and feel our humanity reflected in every person on this planet. And act accordingly.

As I try to process these last few days, the violence happening in the Middle East is not just about me, or any one group of people or politics. This cruel attack on innocent people is about all of us. It is a threat to all of humanity.

No child, no person, whether they share my background or not, whether Palestinian or Israeli (or any other culture, race, or religion), deserves to live or die in such an inhumane way.

There are a lot of issues we can’t and won’t agree on in this world. But we universally should believe in and tirelessly advocate for love, compassion, and peace for all people.

And sadly, right now, that’s not the case.

I am scared and heartbroken as I pray for the victims of violence, our world, and humanity.

Dear Virgin Galactic And The Tourists,

It’s been over a week since you all flew to a place very few have had an opportunity to see in person. Space! It’s well-known and mysterious at the same time, because of the places we don’t know that’s out there.
The morning I had the privilege to see you all take that incredible ride into space, It started off as a typical morning. I turned my tv and went to CBS News because that channel gives me comfort. Plus I really like the reporters they have on that channel. They do an outstanding job of covering news.

When CBS News came up, it showed two reporters talking as usual about a current event that happened.A few minutes later, CBS showed your ship and your crew about to take off in space. I was so excited to see what was going on with you and the people you would be taking along for the ride.

The crew members look so calm going up high in the sky. I was excited but nervous for them as I watch them rise up, like a person who had just discovered high self-esteem. When the tourists started to float out of their seats, I couldn’t believe it. I had seen that happen in so many movies on space. But to see it happen for real was surreal to me.

When you reach out in the space, I was thrilled like the tourists and couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Seeing Earth like it looks in science books was too much for me. Seeing that bright light that looked like the sun made an already unreal experience even more unreal to me.

”Space is real. Earth how it looks in various pictures is real. The sun is real too. Floating in space is real also”, I thought.

I would get nervous, hoping that nothing bad would happen to you all being up there in space. Thankfully, you all would eventually landed back on Earth a couple minutes later.

If I was feeling various emotions from watching your flight experience, I can’t imagine what it must of felt like to actually live the experience. So thank you for giving me (and others who watched it) a taste of the space life.

Sincerly,

Dear Summer,

You’ve been a welcoming change from the cold and cloudy days we had at the beginning of the year.
After a long Winter that seemed like it would never end, you came with a vengeance in June. Seeing the sunshine and giving life to the sky lifted my spirits. It was also great having beach weather that makes it great to go to North Beach in Corpus Christi.
Seeing that beautiful green water and seeing Seagulls flying all over the place is thanks to you. Seeing people at various stores, who I don’t usually see during the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons (unless it’s a holiday) is also thanks to you.
I appreciate your season and contribution to helping planet Earth, but, you can leave now.
The heat you brought with you this year has been relentless. It’s been 100-degree weather every day. But the relentless heat doesn’t stop in the daytime. It speaks its mind at night too, making the AC and the fan almost non-existent.
A few minutes ago, I went outside on my balcony just to enjoy the beautiful view outside with the sun & blue sky. Usually, I’ll be outside for 30 minutes to an hour. I only lasted a few minutes outside thanks to your heat & humidity.
The power of the humidity consumed me immediately, but I tried to be a good soldier about it until I couldn’t handle it anymore.
If your thermostat would turn down some, I would be good with you hanging around a lot longer, but this 100-degree weather isn’t going away anytime soon, so I’m good with you being gone until you come around next year.
I thank you for your service, but it’s time for you to go underground.

Sincerely,

Dear Mr. —

Did you know the NFL’s Ryan Grant also participated in basketball and track and field during his time at Don Bosco Prep School in New Jersey? Did you know the NBA’s Adonal Foyle still holds the record in New York for most points in a high school tournament game? Did you know former Suffern High School girls’ lacrosse star Crysti Foote is a member of the Canadian National Team and is recognized as one of the best female players in the world? Inspired by the commitment and passion all great athletes demonstrate, I know both the technicalities of sports and interesting facts about the athletes themselves, which is why I believe if I become a reporter for MSG Varsity I will be a powerful conduit between the athletes and the tri-state community. I will ask questions the viewers want to know and receive honest answers from athletes who respect my knowledge.

My confidence in my future success is based on the achievements of my past as well as my present occupation. As a young 21-year-old college graduate, I began writing for NBA.com and WNBA.com. With my own swagger, I entered NBA and WNBA locker rooms to interview athletes double my size among journalists twice my age. Publishing hundreds of articles and blogs on NBA.com, WNBA.com, D-league.com, NikeWomen.com, and WomensProSoccer.com, I have also had my fair share of on-air opportunities. Currently, I am a co-host for On the Mike With Mike Sherman, a weekly entertainment, lifestyle, and sports show that airs on a CBS affiliate (My33) in South Florida. Last season, when the 49ers took on the Giants in New Jersey, I was there to interview athletes and report back on the night’s events for CBS’ San Francisco affiliate. I have reported local news on Long Island and worked as a sports reporter for Artsis Media, where I shot, edited, wrote, and produced all my own stories.

Throughout my tenure at Columbia University, I majored in sociology and focused on the sociological impact of sports. Through my 40-plus page senior thesis, I discovered that to have longevity and acceptance as a female sports reporter, you must be a sports connoisseur yourself. Voted biggest jock in my high school senior superlatives, I have lived, breathed, and loved sports throughout my life. I believe if given a chance I will be recognized and respected by the sports world for telling compelling stories and conducting in-depth thought-provoking interviews. In other words, I’m a talented young recruit with an All-American future and would love to help the MSG Varsity team work its way to the top of the game.

Sincerely,