Julia Harris
Activity
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Heather shared a letter in the
To the people we love group 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Just Us Three
Let’s go back to those nights of walking the neighborhood.
Of riding our bikes thru that same neighborhood bypassing the “scary” street.
Let’s go back to sitting in front of the TV playing video games til the sun comes up.
Go back to the days of driving around feeling like grown adults.
Let’s go back to those day trips that consist of music blaring thru the speakers. Our voices singing as loud as they can.
Go back to the nights of just us girls & the open road which led us to the unknown.
Let’s go back to those nights in our 20s of just dancing the night away with no cares in the world.
With the only thought of “will it be mimis or dennys” after the night is done.
Let’s go back to girls night in.
Banging drums. Tapping the microphone. & strumming the guitar.
Can we go back and just live for the moment?
For the simplicity.
For the joy.
Can we go back & just enjoy being present?
No rush for the next task.
No responsibilities that will consume our time.
Can we go back & just be?
Let’s go back & see.
Just us three.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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Ruth Liew shared a letter in the
Remembering those we lost/Grief group 2 months, 4 weeks ago
Letter to my Ex
I am sorry that I couldn’t take all that is clay in you and throw it hard on some wheel
Turn a heavy mug with a nice curve
The kind everyone loves at craft fairsAnd I am sorry
That you couldn’t take all that’s sand in me
To apply mortar and water sufficiently
For a solid level
SlabMostly
I feel sorry
That our needs and lacks
Exceeded
Our expertise…. ….
With much regret I took from you
One ruby and two emeralds
Luckily you found tourmaline and garnets
To sustain you
And one diamond who is never disrespectful at the dinner tableI regret leaving our house of brick and mortar
For a trailer without a floor and a life without sleep
Honestly I was just glad to rest my head against a wall that didn’t shout
So I left anyway, regrets and all.Regretfully sorry,
The person that was Your Wife so long agoSubscribe  or  log in to reply
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Kendra Bendewald shared a letter in the
Parenting group 2 months, 4 weeks ago
A letter I wrote to my daughters (but never sent) while they were away from me
I know that things are really hard right now.
I know that you think that I chose my life with drugs, shitty friends, and crazy over you.
But I want you to know that that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I want you to know that I think about you constantly. I am always finding ways to bring your name up in a story just so that I can have an excuse to talk about you. As if I needed one. I look at your pictures day and night. I marvel at how fucking perfect you are, no matter what stage you are in life. I cry for you every now and again. I had to stop letting myself do it everyday, because when I do, it’s those painful tears that come from a spot so deep below both my eye sockets and my chest that they literally ache to release. I think it’s because they come from the huge part of me that got ripped out of me when I lost you.
Life isn’t the same. Sunny days feel sad because I can’t be at the park with you. Snow is just ugly because I can’t watch you play in it. Dandelions are just weeds, because you aren’t bringing me bouquets, holding them out to me and telling me that you love me.
If I ever do slip and allow myself a second to be happy, it’s automatically replaced with guilt, because why the fuck should I be allowed to smile when you aren’t here? You three are what has made my heart whole. You gave me purpose in an otherwise worthless life. I don’t know where things went so wrong, and how I allowed myself to fail you. But I did. And I think about it every second that I’m breathing. I know it seems like I checked out, and in some ways, I have had to. Because if I allowed myself to feel the pain of losing you 100%, I know that I wouldn’t survive it. My heart would literally shatter. But if I can let you know one thing, it is this.
You may not always see it, but I promise you I will never stop fighting for you. Whether it be the court, your fathers, cps, or my own God damn brain that keeps telling me you’re better this way, I will not ever go a day without giving everything I can to be your mom again.
Because I love you with everything in me.
I love you so much that I am in physical pain when I think of how much I want to hug you.
I love you so much that I want what’s best for you, even if it isn’t me.
But I love you SO much, that I will do whatever I have to to make sure that it can be me.My babies. My loves. I can never make up for the time we have lost.
And I will never forgive the actions taken by some that have gotten us here, not even my own. But all I ask is that you don’t give up on me, and that you dont ever for a second think that you came second to anything in my heart. Because there is nothing in this world that could ever make me see you as anything less than immaculate. Perfect. And my favorite fucking humans that have ever existed. A thousand apologies would not be enough for the absolute havoc I have allowed into our lives, and I can say as much as I want that I wish I could take it back. But the fact is that I can’t. I can wear the guilt like a crown, and I can wallow in my wrong doings, but honestly it won’t get us back together again. All I can do now, is have enough faith in my love for you. And I can keep pushing forward, regardless of whoever the fuck says I can’t. And I can’t let anyone or anything ever get in my way. Because if I was meant to do one thing in this God forsaken life, it was to be the mommy to the three most amazing, unique, hilarious, and absolutely authentic freeloaders that have ever graced this place with their presence.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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Kendra Bendewald shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 2 months, 4 weeks ago
Bi-Polar
Outside my body
Looking in
It’s time to alert
My last of kinI’m not myself
Think I’ve gone crazy
The last few days
Have been quite hazyWhat am I thinking?
Have I gone nuts?
I’m acting insane
And I’m dressed like a slutMy middle finger
In the air
I’m drunk by noon
And i’ve cut my hairCouldn’t give a fuck less
If I get in trouble
Speed limit’s 30,
I’m doing doubleBlaring music
Hysterically screaming
Everything’s foggy
I must be dreaming
Met up with some new friends
Guess it’s high time to go ghost
On the people around me
That care about me the mostThey’ll know exactly
What this all means
They’ll try and stop it
And I’ll cause a sceneMy mom will exclaim
“Oh, fuck, she’s gone manic!”
And when you look at her face
You can see she’s started to panicBut what everyone here
Is failing to realize
Is that a manic episode
Is like winning the grand prizeI’m having a great time
I just quit my job
I’ve pounded a fifth
And i’m making kabobsI don’t wanna come down
I don’t wanna stop it
Won’t take medication
So you might as well drop itSo I’m watching my alter
Destroy all that I’ve built
She won’t even slow down
Doesn’t understand guiltGive it a week
And I’ll snap back to reality
But I’ll be so fucking depressed
That I’ll crave that mentalityNo one can wake me
For almost a week
But when they finally do
I’m empty and bleakI’d rather be mental
Blissfully crazy
Than low, sad, or sleepy,
Vacant and lazyIt’s no easy task
Living life with bi-polar
Cause when she gets on a good one
Even I can’t control herStyle Score: 80
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I loved reading this, well written and heartbreaking. Hang in there.
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Martha Moore shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months ago
Planted Roots
Deep inside
You’ve planted roots
I can feel you taking over
I am a subject in your kingdom
You are the king and queen of my whole being
Darkness that no light can penetrate
My ruler, my Lord, my curse
You grow bigger and stronger everyday
I simply wither away
Hoping to stand clear of drowning
There is no place in my mind to feel safe
To be safe
I am a haunted house
Controlled by you
Never ending reels in my house of horror
Never forget
I’m trapped in my past
I can’t find my way back homeSubscribe  or  log in to reply
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Lillith Campos shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months ago
For Emily
This was written November 26th, 2020. I had been struggling with the death of a friend; it happened to hit a little too close to home for me. I had a sense of survivor’s guilt. I felt that it should have been, could very easily have been me. It wreaked havoc on my mental state for months, thus my therapist suggested writing this in her memory. I remember it as if it happened yesterday, my therapist being so compassionate but also cautioning me, bracing me, making sure I understood that being a part of this community, Emily will not be the only person I lose to suicide or even murder. We as trans people do not have a long-life expectancy.
So, we need a little back story. I met Emily in December in a support group on Facebook for depression, anxiety and suicide. She is a transgender woman like myself. She is 25 years old and would have been 26 this month. Her and another transwoman we met in that group bonded rather quickly over not just our suicidal ideations, self-harm and depression, but also from all 3 of us sharing the trials and tribulations of being transgender in this shit hole of a country.
Her family disowned her for being trans, and very rarely used the correct pronouns. She was kicked out of her home yet was able to find an apartment where she lived in Atlanta. She hated being trans. She was happier on hormones of course but still hated the fact she was not a cis woman. She was in enormous debt from so many medical Bill’s due to numerous suicide attempts and being hospitalized in psych wards. In the 4 months we knew each other she probably spent 5 or 6 weeks in a psych ward. She was of the mind she would fake it until she made it, meaning whatever she had to do to get off suicide watch. She swore once her medical bills were paid off, she would end it. She planned to wait because she did not want to stick the family that disowned her with the medical bills.
She was always thinking about others and loved to please people. We all became very close in such a short amount of time. When she was in the psych hospital, we would call daily to check on her. She attempted three times in the time I knew her, once with a noose but the rope broke. Twice with pills, the last one resulting in seizures and a hospital stay before another psych stay.
We had an agreement between the three of us. We knew how depressed we were. We knew we all longed for death, and we hated how people were trying to keep us alive when all we wanted was to die. How could people be so selfish? So, we gave each other permission to die. We would not try to talk each other out of it because we understood each other. We agreed that what we would do was to at least say goodbye to the others in the group. Give the others a chance to say goodbye and that we love each other one last time. That did not happen. Emily left us and we did not get to say goodbye to her.
I really want to be mad at her for that, but I understand her pain. I understand her fear that we would try and talk her out of it. I am so very sad that I lost her, but I am comforted in the knowledge that she Isn’t suffering anymore. Emily confided in me outside of our group chat a couple of times that one thing that was keeping her going was she did not want others to be sad about her loss. And that she feared Rose (the other one in our group) would kill herself if in fact either one of us did kill ourselves. Rose mentioned as much that she would do that.
We must do better as humans. Misgendering takes such a toll on us. The things we go through daily wears us down every day, and it seems like this entire country is on a witch hunt with us being the witches (I’m pagan but people just say witches). We are slowly being killed off by mental illness due to the struggles of being transgender. And those struggles, those mental illnesses are caused from outside influences 99 percent of the time.
We need to talk about this more openly. So many suffer from depression and suicidal ideation. We must remove the stigma from this topic. People have to stop being afraid to talk about it. RIP Emily Nicole Brown. I will miss you.
Here Is the link to her blog. You will get a better mindset of her thinking. http://www.emilythetransgirl.wordpress.com
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Vicki Lawana Trusselli shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months, 1 weeks ago
PSYCHOLOGY OF PROJECTION
Dear Unsealed,
PSYCHOLOGY OF PROJECTION
The theory of the psychology of projection is a phenomenal viral situation in 2024.
There are people who project their ill feelings, anger, insecurities onto the closest empath standing in their way.
You spewed obscenities at me that day
As you do everyday
you blame me for your failed attitude
that is not subdued
I ask you why
Why do you project your insecurities onto me
You reply
It’s all your fault
It’s my fault you say
No, you just caught
In another lie
I sigh
Why?
You yell at me
You are nothing to me
So, let it be
I cry
I say
No
I could be your fake friend
Until the end
So, then you yell
To me
Not let it be
But cruel words of anger
That makes you a danger
To my world
To your world
To all worlds
As you carry on
With your blaming me
For your misdeeds
Of unconscious reprimanding me
Or any other empath
The victim of your wrath
You are jealous and angry
You sit around spewing obscenities
Of hate and bigotry of amenities
And talents of other people on Earth
So, tell me,
For what it’s worth
How do you wake up everyday
To your vile words of insanity
Of what may be your reality
To trash the Earth
With your dark soul
Of cruel intentions of old
As your soul was sold
To the vile fiery hell of hades
Of your life of death,
Here what I say.
Your dark empty vessel of skin
Can not win
You are the demon of Earth
For what it’s worth
You are not anything
You are a blank empty soul
Of nothing
But your lies
Your ego
You cry, you scream
At me
Let it be
You are the epitome of humanity
Garbage dump
Dump DumpSubscribe  or  log in to reply
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Vicki, I’ve never given much thought to the psychology of projection, but I can see how feelings projected onto an empathetic person would be detrimental to his or her well-being. When people with darkness inside them feel the need to bring down those who would do them no harm, it really shows their true nature. I hope that, as an empath, you can…read more
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I am working on that with my therapist
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Heather shared a letter in the
Remembering those we lost/Grief group 3 months, 1 weeks ago
Personal Bodyguards
When I see a tiny lizard or a gecko on the sidewalk, I see you & smell the softness of pancakes cooking in the kitchen.
When I see a black cat, I see you & instantly smell gingerbread cookies baking in the oven around Christmas time.
When I see a white Chevy truck, I see two young girls sitting in the bed of the truck embracing the moment of the wind blowing amongst their tiny faces after a fun filled day in the snow
When I see elder men wearing their “Veterans” hat, I see you standing before me. I feel the softness in the air. I see the gentleness of your soul standing amongst the crowd. I thank that individual for their service as I walk away.
When I see the color purple out in the world, I see you. When I’m at work & hear similar words from my clients, I think of you standing before me. When I see the card game “Go Fish” being played, I see two younger girls sitting at their grandmother’s table laughing til their tummy hurts.
When I see a yellow tractor, I see a young adult enjoying the time being spent with their grandfather. When I see a blue truck, I see you & start singing those old country songs we’d sing together.
No matter where I go in life, I see you.
I see all of you!
Wherever I go, you are right there guiding the way. The way to clarity. To beautiful blessings. To happiness. To calmness. To love.No matter the length of missing you, the memories, all of the memories will forever be shared.
Wherever I go in life, I know I have several bodyguards guiding me along my path. Protecting me.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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Heather, this piece makes my heart smile. We all have little ways of remembering those we lost in our day-to-day lives, and it brings us so much comfort. Whenever I see a butterfly hover near me, I feel like my aunt is giving me a hug. When I see a red bird, I feel comforted by my granny’s presence even though she’s been gone for years. Our…read more
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Heather shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months, 1 weeks ago
Dear Anxiety
Hold my hand. Gently grab these fingers and walk with me.
I have something to share with you.
Let’s go for a walk.I know it’s in your nature to save me. To protect me.
I’m here to let you know, it’s okay.
I understand your job, but right now, your job is on hold.
I’ve got this now.
It’s time for you to take a break.I know it’ll be hard for you to come to terms with it, but I’m okay.
I’m safe now. I’ve found the middle ground.
You don’t need to cover me with your comfort shield.
I’ve got this. I promise.You can go lay down and rest.
Shut your eyes.
Silence the noise.
Relax.Sincerely,
MeSubscribe  or  log in to reply
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Heather, I also suffer from anxiety and I can relate to what you wrote so much. Though our anxiety serves a purpose- to keep us safe and prepared- it also prevents us from finding joy in the uncertainties of life. Like you, I hope to find a middle ground that allows me to relax and enjoy my life while still being cognizant of what goes on around…read more
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Noirerequiem shared a letter in the
To the people we love group 3 months, 2 weeks ago
My Letter 2 Music
Dear Music,
You have been my first love, my most loyal companion, and my greatest storyteller. Before I even knew how to express myself fully, you spoke for me. You carried my joy, my pain, my anger, and my healing in melodies, in beats, in lyrics that felt like they were written just for me.
When the world felt too loud, you gave me rhythm. When silence was too heavy, you filled it with sound. You have never judged me for how I felt-you simply embraced me, wrapped me in harmonies, and let me be.
You have been my bridge to places I have never been, to people I have never met. You break barriers, crossing languages and cultures, bringing souls together in a way nothing else can. Through you, strangers have become family, and stories have been passed down like sacred traditions.
Whether I was dancing in joy, drowning in sorrow, or standing in quiet reflection, you have always been there. Guiding me. Holding me. Reminding me that I am not alone.
Thank you for your presence in every stage of my life. For being my escape, my therapy, my celebration. Thank you for giving me the courage to tell my own stories. I will always love you. I will always need you.Forever Yours,
AmbitiousBMarieSubscribe  or  log in to reply
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Music has a way of helping us through our struggles like nothing else can, whether we realize it or not. If I am feeling broken and I listen to a specific song, sometimes it has the power to give me the strength to repair myself. If my heart is aching, a few ballads help me remember that I am not alone. I am glad that music has such an impact on…read more
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Music is made from storytellers and poets like us. And it’s always great to appreciate it.
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Anita Williams shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months, 3 weeks ago
A Letter of Healing, Strength, and Spiritual Alignment
Life has a way of forcing you into stillness. When everything around you crumbles, when the weight of the world feels unbearable, when you’ve given all of yourself and still feel empty—you are left with two choices: break, or rebuild.
I won’t lie. There were moments I felt like breaking.
I have battled PTSD, bipolar disorder, mood swings, and depression. Some days, I could barely pull myself out of bed. Some days, I felt like I was drowning in emotions I didn’t have the strength to explain. And yet, the world kept moving. Responsibilities didn’t stop, expectations didn’t pause, and people still pulled from me, unaware that I was running on nothing.
Last year tested me in ways I never imagined. I ended a relationship I deeply wanted. One I poured my soul into. And it broke me. Not just the loss, but the realization that I had given so much of myself, yet I was never truly seen, never truly valued. I walked away with nothing but exhaustion, drained of my love, my energy, and my spirit. And then, life didn’t give me time to heal. The weight of being out of work, the unexpected surgery, the long recovery, the piling responsibilities—it all came at once. I thought I could handle it. I thought I could push through, but when my body failed me, when I could no longer do the things I once did effortlessly, I had no choice but to sit in it. To feel everything I had been running from.
Preparing for my son’s graduation should have been a moment of excitement, a moment of celebration, but instead, I found myself withdrawing. I just wanted to be alone. I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t want to be around people. That’s when I knew—I had to go back to therapy. I had to see my psychiatrist, get back on my medication, and take control of my mental health again. Because no matter how much I prayed, I had to also take action. Healing isn’t just spiritual—it’s mental, emotional, and physical.
And then this year, the surgery happened. I thought it would be simple. Something I could bounce back from quickly. But this surgery was nothing like I expected. It forced me into yet another level of surrender, another layer of patience, another reminder that healing has no shortcuts. I cry a lot. I get emotional, and sometimes it feels like the world is changing too fast, yet somehow, it also feels like we’re moving backward. There’s so much hate, so much anger, so much division. And as I get older, I realize that time moves whether we are ready or not. I used to picture myself in a different place by now. I thought I’d be married, settled, moving in a rhythm that felt secure. Instead, I find myself constantly adjusting, constantly learning, constantly relearning how to exist in this world.
And January—it never gets easier. In 2020, I lost my father. In December 2021, I lost my child. That kind of pain never truly leaves. It lingers. It shifts. Some days, it’s a whisper. Some days, it’s a storm. I wanted that baby so bad. So bad. And sometimes, that grief still knocks the air out of me. No matter how much time passes, I still feel the loss. I still cry. And I still ask God why. But through it all, my faith remains my anchor.
I am deeply spiritual. I trust in the Most High. I believe in the power of prayer, in the power of divine alignment. Not a day goes by that I don’t pray. I pray through my pain, through my uncertainty, through my grief. I light my candles. I speak to my ancestors. I trust that even in my hardest moments, I am never truly alone. And my advice to anyone experiencing something similar—love yourself first, pour into you, work on your healing, seek therapy, sit with your emotions, stop running. Search spiritually for God, pray, meditate, trust in divine timing. Don’t let your situation break your spirit. You are stronger than you feel in this moment. Always take a break for your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Love will always come. You won’t have to chase it. You won’t have to question it. When it’s meant for you, it will align effortlessly. And above all, life is short—so enjoy it. Live. Love. Heal. Breathe. Be present.
I am still learning, still healing, still growing. But what I know for sure is this: I will not break. I will rise. I will love again. But this time, from a place of wholeness. And when the time is right, when my spirit is aligned, when my heart is open and whole—love will find me. Not through force. Not through desperation. But through divine alignment.
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Anita, you are such an inspiration. Your story is raw and real and I love that you don’t try to sugarcoat what you’ve experienced. Based on what you’ve written, you certainly have had more than enough reason to break. The fact that you are choosing to rebuild instead says so much about your strength and courage. Thank you for sharing your…read more
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Paige Walden shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Angel on Fire
In the river of time, we drift and glide on life’s current, side by side.
We flow together, bound by routines and survival’s embrace, with some finding solace in their pace and others who bear burdens, heavy and wide.
Yet despite our different paths, the goal for all remains unchanged, to stay afloat and abide.We journey on this temporal stream, experiencing moments both shared and a dream.
For me, floating adrift for nearly three decades, it was in my recent path that I set myself ablaze,
consumed by flames of renewal, a heart reborn. In time’s river, I’ll continue to soar.In the scorch, I let myself burn, shedding the old, bitter me that yearned to extinguish God’s goodness within.
Anger and resentment threatened to consume,
plunging me into dark, endless gloom.
Yet, like a phoenix, I rose anew, enlightened, with self-awareness shining through.
From the ashes, l emerged, reborn and free,
snuffing out the flames that once consumed me.As I rise, the future’s dawn, In 2025, a new path drawn.
No longer bound by insecure ties, the past’s weight, I bid goodbye.
Goodbye to burdens heavy shadows, threatening to cave in on me,
goodbye to the whispers of names and flawed reflections;
I’ll let the flames of courage soar, And watch the past, forevermore.With gasoline, I’ll set it free,
from chain of doubt I’ll break with glee.
A resolution blazes, fierce and true,
In the horizon’s arms, I’ll soar anew.
From the ashes, I rise, wings spread wide,
embracing the sky, my spirit twirled.
Let it all burn, in the night’s embrace,
I’ll find my freedom, in this vast space.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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Paige, I absolutely love this poem! I love the idea of “burning” your past self so that you can find yourself in the present. By cutting the cords that bind us, we can embrace who we really are. I hope that you are able to find the freedom that you desire. Thank you for sharing this inspiring poem!
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This one personally is my favorite piece I ever wrote. Thank you so much for your words! I’m really glad I can share this and have it resonate with you and hopefully more! ❤️
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Sam Harty shared a letter in the
To the people we love group 4 months ago
This post is viewable by the Unsealed community only.
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Sam Harty shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 4 months ago
This post is viewable by the Unsealed community only.
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Noirerequiem shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 4 months ago
Darkside of Suicide
I see you.
Not just the you they pretend to notice,
but the you that lingers in shadows,
weighed down by whispers that won’t hush.
The you that wonders if silence
is the only way to be heard.I won’t lie to you—
this pain ain’t easy to carry.
It seeps into your bones,
fills your lungs with the weight of nights
that stretch too long, too heavy,
too empty.I know the darkside.
The way it calls your name like a lullaby,
promising rest where the world
only offers war.
I know how it feels
when the walls close in,
when every breath feels borrowed,
when hope is a language
you forgot how to speak.But listen to me.
There are others who walked this road,
stumbled, fell, but still found their way.
Not because the weight vanished,
but because they learned—
somehow, some way—
to shift it,
to share it,
to bear it just one more day.So if tonight feels like the last chapter,
I beg you—
turn the page.Because the story ain’t done.
And neither are you.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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This is beautifully written. Your words have strong visibility in them that grasped me from beginning to end!. Especially important with this topic and wanting people to know their story doesn’t have to be done.
Very good job!
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Thank you so much. I appreciate it
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Marie, this poem is so powerful! I love that you took the time to write this for those who are struggling. You are so right that sometimes simply turning the page can bring a new light to the situation. Even when it feels like the end, the story is not finished! Thank you for encouraging those around you with your words. You’ve inspired me today!
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Thank You so much. I hope to reach people with my words
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“Story ain’t done and neither are you” that is beautiful thank you for writing this.
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everything andnothing shared a letter in the
Mental Health group 4 months ago
This post is viewable by the Unsealed community only.
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Taisha Bracero Sierra shared a letter in the
Remembering those we lost/Grief group 4 months, 1 weeks ago
Grief is a Kingdom
Grief is a kingdom you never ask to rule.
A place with no stars, no dawn to break.
Endless night.
A place where echoes live longer than voices,
where shadows wear the faces you’ve lost—
but never quite get them right.It crowns you in silence,
wraps its cloak around your ribs,
tightens until your breath comes in fractured whispers.I thought I was ready.
I told myself time was mercy—
that knowing would soften the blow.
But grief doesn’t strike like lightning.
It seeps in slowly, like poison in your veins,
until one day you’re gasping,
and you don’t even remember what air felt like.I try to remember her laugh—
but it’s like chasing smoke.
Somewhere in my mind,
her smile is fading at the edges.
Her voice, just a ghost of a ghost.I keep pictures tucked away in drawers.
I can’t look at them for too long.
Each glance is a wound,
each memory a blade turning slow beneath my ribs.
But without them, she slips further from me.
I am caught between needing to remember
and not being able to survive it.How cruel it is—
to lose her twice.
Once to death, and again to time.My son was born after she left.
A few fractured weeks between his first breath
and the silence she became.
His due date was her birthday.
As if the universe thought irony was a kindness.Since I was 18,
I have been carving out a life with trembling hands,
mistaking silence for strength,
mistaking independence for survival.
But I was wrong.Strength is standing in the ruin
and naming every piece.
It is saying:
This hurt.
This still hurts.
It is learning to breathe in the dark.They don’t tell you how grief is a thief—
how it steals the good with the bad.
How every sweet memory is chased by regret.
How every second of love feels borrowed.
How guilt hangs on your shoulders like a cloak
you can’t remove.I should have stayed longer.
I should have loved louder.
I should have grown up faster,
instead of pretending I had all the time in the world.I still don’t know how to carry this.
Most days, I bury it beneath busy hands and silence.
But it always finds me—
in the quiet, in the stillness,
in the moments when her name rises to my lips
but never makes it past my teeth.Grief is a kingdom,
and I am its prisoner.
There are no windows, no keys, no doors.
Only the ghosts of what could have been
and the weight of everything I didn’t say.And yet somehow,
even in this shadowland,
I am still searching for light.Subscribe  or  log in to reply
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Taisha, this poem makes my heart ache for you. Grief over losing someone you love never truly goes away, it just lessens with time. My favorite stanza is “How cruel it is—to lose her twice. Once to death, and again to time.” As time passes, our memories fade whether we want them to or not. I hope that you continue searching for light and FIND i…read more
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Thank you for your kind words. Grief once felt like an open wound—raw, unbearable, and impossible to ignore. But time, though indifferent, has stitched it into a scar. I used to fear it, afraid that showing it meant reopening the pain. But now, I see it as proof of love, of survival, of a bond that even time cannot erase. I carry it not as a m…read more
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Wow. I can not even begin to tell you how beautiful and moving this is.
My deepest condolences for the loss you endured.
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Awwww thank you so much Kendra!! 💓 have a beautiful day!🌞
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Sara Johnson shared a letter in the
Remembering those we lost/Grief group 4 months, 1 weeks ago
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Mari Morales shared a letter in the
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everything andnothing shared a letter in the
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Aww, Heather this is so sweet. Looking back on childhood memories like this can be sad at times, but it just proves how much fun you had. You are so blessed to have had a childhood like this ☺
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