Blessed Birthday to the women who has turned tragedy into triumph, compassion into community, and passions into realities, for herself and so many others!

Truly thank you for bringing so many people and opportunities together.

May your dreams keep unfolding; and keep coming true in the most magical and optimal of ways!

With Love and Appreciation…

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!

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.

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 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.

Usually, when one writes a cover letter, one details the education and related experiences – what “qualifies” them for the job. I did not; I told a personal story of how my life experience is more important than any bullet point highlighting my work skills and accomplishments.

The position I applied for is working with a media company as a fellow. With diversity as a critical component that the company is looking for, I figured I was qualified for the position because of two letters I closely associate with, “CP.” Cerebral palsy is its full name, but someone or something which is well-known or we are close to will often get a nickname.

I can’t take credit for the shortened version. I presume that goes to Dr. John Little (the bearded one who discovered the condition in 1853).
Even though in my letter to the company, I did include bullet points about how my disability enables me to diversify the content taken in by audience members, I avoided the most powerful reason as to why I am a journalist in the first place.

After countless hours of work, making sure every T crossed and I dotted, the application page refreshed. Seeing the blank text boxes got me thinking of the text in my cover letter. Each failed attempt to turn it in turned into another attempt to fix the darn thing. Finally, I decided to call it a day with the dome of negative thoughts destroying me, one thought bubble after another.

My mom could see the displeasure on my face – the eggs I had the morning before were not sunny-side up. She suggested asking a family friend in our apartment building for guidance.

I went over with my mind made up: “I am sending what I have; I’m only here so he can help me submit what I have!” That did not happen, of course, and it turned into a whole family affair — I knew it had to be somewhat good because non of the three dogs ate the printed copy.

After much deliberation, we concluded that – you guessed it, rewrite it over again. When the post-memorandum finished, the plan of action was to really hit the ball on the bat, explaining how I ended up in a field where talent is often overlooked and substituted for one’s looks, and even though I have dabbled in some Adaptive Fashion Modeling, the way I saunter along is not exactly cover of Sports Illustrated worthy.

I mention all of this to convey that the thing you wish people would walk by might not be a clear path, but it will eventually get you to your certainly straight purpose.

As my mentor, Jason Benetti, said when asked if he minds talking about his CP.
“It’s part of me; so many people travel this world and don’t know what’s unique about them. I already have one built-in!”

Whether yours is built-in or not, I hope you find YOUR STRAIGHT PURPOSE.

Much love

Dear Memere G,

Our time with you was always filled with special moments, moments filled with adventures that fostered in me a sense of awe and wonder. Though the days could get busy you always made sure we had a few moments impregnated with silence and rest. You spoiled us to no end with the quality time and the many extravagant gifts you gave us. We had the best dress up closet me and my sisters could’ve ever asked for. But most importantly you always made sure that we knew we were loved.

Even when you had Alzhiemer’s and you couldn’t remember exactly who I was you always found ways to assure me of your love. I remember the day two of your friends came to visit you at the nursing home that you were living at. I was chaperoning this visit to make sure they wouldn’t make you agitated. They didn’t understand the nature of your illness and kept asking you if you remembered specific moments from the past. I wanted to tell them off because I know you were having a hard time, but I didn’t know how. Finally they were going to leave. They wanted and tried but with no avail to have you say “I love you” to them. I knew you were searching for the words but couldn’t find them. After a few minutes of trying to get you to say it they left. I stayed a little longer with you enjoying our time together even if you couldn’t find the words to say. Then about 10 minutes after your two friends left you said “I love you,” clearly, coherently, and confidently. I was so shocked and moved by this special gift that you bestowed upon me. These would be the last coherent words you would say to me.

This meant more to me than anything else. I knew how hard you had to work to find and form those words. I know how your brain was working against you. These words weren’t just words, they were treasures. As a person who has been bullied most of my life I haven’t always been so sure that I was loved. My anxiety and depression convinced me that people didn’t like, nor care about me. Faculty seemed to ignore me or not care when I told them about the bullying. That’s why your words meant so much. I have to think that that’s why you chose to say those words to me, so I always knew that there was someone who loved me. Through a sea of static you showed waves of your love.

I want you to know Memere, that even though you aren’t with us anymore I still love you and I always will.

Until we are reunited again,

It was 13 years ago that I found myself accepted to Youngstown State University in Youngstown State University. I had many dreams in my boyhood. Going to YSU was near the top of the list.

At the tender age of eight years, I told my art teacher, Mr. Anderson, that I wanted to go to Youngstown State when I grew up. He told me that I had plenty of time before that.

10 years later, this boyhood dream of mine was realized. YSU served as the setting for some of the most magical moments I’ve ever had and ever will have.

From the sun-drenched summer morning where I came onto the campus for the first time until the rain-swept Saturday afternoon in 2017 where I graduated, I enjoyed every minute… even if commencement went way too fast that spring day.

From all of the football games that I saw, including the overtime thriller in the third round of the FCS Playoffs my senior year, to all of the lessons I learned, to all of the friends I made and kept, I wouldn’t have traded those years away for anything else.

Wave for the Red and White! Go, YSU!