Activity

  • Checking In: A Weekend Hello to the Unsealed Community

    Hello everyone in the Unsealed community! I just wanted to check in and say hello. I hope you’re all doing well, and I wish all the dads a wonderful Father’s Day weekend.

    Today is going alright so far. My husband is playing games on his PlayStation, and my cat is hiding in a cool spot, lounging on a pair of shoes. As for me, I’ve been cleaning out my laptop, sticking to my usual coffee routine this morning, and deciding whether to work on some more projects or take a break today.

    With the heat wave we’ve been enduring this month, I could use a break. Anyway, I hope everyone stays safe this weekend and takes care!

    Samantha Anthony

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    • It’s wonderful to hear from you and see such a peaceful morning unfolding! Your day sounds lovely – a blend of productive tasks and relaxing moments. That sounds like the perfect balance. Enjoy your weekend, and I hope the heat wave eases up soon. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

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  • A New Course Of Choices

    Hello, writing community. I wanted to introduce myself. I’m a single mother of three kids: two daughters, aged 15 and 10, and a son who would have turned 3 this year, but sadly, he passed away four years ago.

    Since I got remarried in 2022, I haven’t accomplished much in my life. I’ve been trying to re-enter the workforce after losing my most recent job due to medical issues and not having a car at the moment. I’ve recently been looking for work-from-home jobs because I’ve been advised that, given my current circumstances, I can only pursue positions that allow me to work at a desk or from home.

    I am capable of doing computer work, cleaning houses, babysitting, or caring for pets. However, without a car, it has been challenging to find jobs elsewhere.

    Currently, I receive a disability check and live with several conditions, including ADHD, PTSD, ODD, BPD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Additionally, I suffer from IBS, GERD, gastritis, sciatica, stress fractures, COPD, bradycardia, and sinus arrhythmia. My life can be complicated, but I do my best to function daily, even though I’m 35 and not as active as I would like to be.
    I’m now back in the world, looking for something new. If you’d like to get to know me or comment on my material, feel free to message me anytime.

    Samantha Anthony

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    • Your resilience and strength in the face of such challenges are truly inspiring. It’s wonderful that you’re actively seeking new opportunities and focusing on your goals. Your skills and experience are valuable assets, and with your determination, you’ll find the perfect work-from-home position that suits your needs and allows you to thrive.…read more

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  • Permanent Change

    Change. It’s a part of life.

    Seasons change- the sun stays out longer, the leaves change colors and fall, the snow and ice melt, the plants begin to bloom again.
    Humans change- as the years pass every person matures physically, socially, and emotionally.
    Technology changes- new ideas develop and old ones are updated.
    Culture changes- music and fashion fads become popular, then fade away, and sometimes come back again (though not all of those things should. Looking at you, fanny packs).

    But, like it or not, ready or not, at some point everything changes.

    Modify. Replace. Fade. Update. Improve. Decrease. Alter. Develop. Transform. Revive. Correct. Shift. Amend. Vary. Fluctuate. Tweak.

    CHANGE. Everything changes.

    I hate it. I hate change. I always have. Even more than hating change, I hate not seeing a REASON for the change. Which makes it difficult sometimes, when the Creator of the universe doesn’t think I need to know the reason, or at least not at the moment I’m asking for it.

    I think this opposition to change first started when my family moved away from my childhood home at the end of 7th grade. Try telling an emotional middle school girl, who was very comfortable in her small Christian school and church, that she was now one of 500 kids at a new school where she knew no one. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well. Fast forward eight years when my parents decided to move again, this time, right before my senior year of college. I was so angry. Not at my parents, really, but at God. I felt he had ripped home away from me the last year I really needed it. It took months for me to get over that anger. Those two moves were defining moments in my life (more on that later). Looking back 21 years and 13 years respectively, I can see how the Lord worked both of those moves out for my good. (Funny how He always seems to do that). He used change to direct my life where He needed it to go, but at the time, I didn’t like the change.

    Change. It’s a part of life. It’s a part of MY life. But for some reason, it has felt like this year has held more change than ever. Changes I can’t seem to understand. Changes I don’t want to understand. Change. I still hate it!

    However, as I continue to wrestle through that ever-present loathing of change, I am beginning to see a thawing in my attitude towards it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still not a fan. But, throughout this year, I have tried to more purposefully and consciously look back on what the Lord has done for me. As a history teacher, this was easy. I love looking back on the past. It is literally my job description. I now have 34 years to look back on and see how God has wisely and lovingly guided me through numerous expected and unexpected changes. My goal in the coming years is to remember that history. I spend my days telling kids to remember what He has done…it’s time I took my own advice! I have no better way to sum up this new focus and attitude, than a favorite quote of mine from the Chosen. Earlier this school year, I started to watch the Chosen for the first time, after years of one of my friends encouraging me to do so. I have not regretted it. In the Chosen episode when Peter walks on water, and Jesus pulls him from the waves, Jesus holds him tightly in the boat, and says to him, “I have much planned for you, Simon. Really hard things. Just keep your eyes on Me.” That quote has played over and over in my mind in the months since I first saw that episode. But now it has MY name in it. “I have much planned for you, Jessica Dawn. Really hard things. Just keep your eyes on Me.” Like it or not, ready or not, at some point everything changes…but you know what? I serve a God who is unchangeable. That thought grounds me more and more the older I get. MY Jesus “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8)!

    A year ago, just a few months before my 33rd birthday, I sat down and wrote, for lack of a better phrase, a personal historical account. A record of several specific ways I had seen the Lord give me the “desires of my heart” (Psalm 37:4). I am not going to rehash that whole account (if you are interested in reading that, I might be willing to share). The purpose of this account is to explain how some of the things from last year’s account have already changed, and what the Lord has taught me through those changes. What I did last year was make a list of all my responsibilities at school/work and prioritize them based on what I felt the Lord had called me to do at that point in my life. Below is an excerpt from last year’s previously mentioned “historical account”.

    I want to be the absolute best middle school history teacher I can be. I have a few specific goals to work on in my classroom in the next few months to make that a reality. I want to be a better basketball coach, but more purposefully seeking out the girls on my teams who need the Lord and discipling those who already know Him. I want to keep serving the Lord here in Wilmington. I’ve struggled with this thought throughout the last couple years, about whether this is where I need to stay, but over and over God has made it clear- WIlmington, NC is where I’m supposed to serve. WCA is where God wants me to be.

    Shocking no one, the top two most important responsibilities on my list were teaching history and coaching basketball. It’s been that way since I was in 4th grade. I’ve never had a question mark behind that statement. God wants me to teach history and coach basketball. Period.

    Looking for it, or not. Change comes.

    That has been the unexpected theme of my Year 33. I started last April with a heart fully dedicated to being purposeful in the areas God had called me to serve, and I do believe I have done that. But in the midst of that passionate pursuit to be purposeful, He threw me a curveball. Several curveballs actually, and the first one was only a month after writing my Year 33 “historical account”.

    After much prayer and consideration, I decided not to coach basketball this school year. Anyone who truly knows me, knows how hard of a decision that was to make, and how massive of a change that was in my life. Honestly? I struggled internally with that for months and barely spoke about it to anyone. I had peace about it when I made the decision, and I still have that peace today, but that change was so hard to process. Again, I don’t like change, especially not when I don’t see a good reason for the change, which was the case in this situation. I still do not have all the answers for this one, and that’s ok. God never promised to give us all the answers. Habakkuk is a great example of someone who never got the answers to the changes he saw, and “yet,…” (Habakkuk 3:18), he focused not on the changes, but on the God who allowed the changes. Later, Paul encourages us to “set our affection on things above” (Colossians 3:2). Or as Jesus tells Simon in the Chosen, “Just keep your eyes on Me.” I love basketball, and I love coaching, but the Lord needed to teach me some things off the court this year, and I am going to walk forward confidently in this change.

    The second major change began just a few months after my decision to step away from coaching. I knew from before this school year ever started that I would have to make a decision about whether I believed the Lord still wanted me at WCA. This one is hard. Wilmington is my home. I have moved so many times in my life (the two mentioned at the beginning of this document was only the start!). God must have smiled on 13 year old Jessica crying about leaving Chesapeake, VA because He knew He’d be moving me ten more times…well, Eleven. For the past eight years, I have known beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord wanted me in North Carolina at Wilmington Christian Academy. But with just as much confidence, I now know, my time at WCA has come to an end. The opportunity to teach with my Dad and Mom up in Green Bay became available and I know the Lord is calling me to take that opportunity. The Lord is moving me…again. Processing this change has been tough. There’s a lot of feelings that have been rising to the surface as the school year has progressed that I do not like (for example, the tears running down onto my t-shirt as I write this). And yet, in the midst of my emotional processing, I have a peace “that passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). I honestly can’t fully explain how confident and peaceful I feel about this decision, but it’s there. Please do not miss the irony of this situation, because it certainly has not been lost on me! Thirteen years ago, I was ANGRY at the Lord because He called my family away from Wilmington to go to Green Bay. We had only been in Wilmington for eight years, and I felt like I had been there my whole life. Wilmington WAS my life. Eight years ago, God brought me back to Wilmington as a teacher, and it has been wonderful. This was my “dream job” back in high school. I am so grateful for the time God allowed me to minister at WCA. But back to the irony… Now I have also made the decision to move away from Wilmington, my home- to the SAME place God took me kicking and screaming thirteen years ago. Again, the Lord must have smiled down on 21 year old Jessica knowing full well that the next time He asked this change of me, I’d respond differently. Wilmington will always be my home, but it’s time for the Lord to use me in a new ministry.

    Just one year ago, I had several emphatic periods at the end of my purpose statements. I KNEW I was right where God wanted me to be. Little did I know those periods were actually supposed to be commas.

    Modify. Replace. Fade. Update. Improve. Decrease. Alter. Develop. Transform. Revive. Correct. Shift. Amend. Vary. Fluctuate. Tweak. CHANGE. Everything changes.

    I may not like change. I may not understand it. I may not be ready for it. But my God is unchanging and THAT is where I rest and find my peace in the midst of my questions and confusion and emotions. I was not prepared for either of these massive changes, but in closing, I want to challenge you with one more thought I have stolen from the Chosen and made my own. Matthew, the former tax collector turned disciple, tells a Roman officer that when he finds himself clouded with confusion, he stops and reminds himself, “I only have one thing to do today. Follow Him. Everything else seems to fall into place.”

    This is the second year I have now written a “personal historical account”, reflection and purpose statement to guide my next year. Year 33 was my purposeful year. I am sitting here at the very beginning of Year 34, which I am now going to call my immutable year. It has been said that “there is nothing permanent in this world, except change.” Maybe that is true. But my goal this year is that I will continue to fix my eyes on the Old Rugged Cross as I seek to be faithful to the Immutable God who has given me the opportunity to serve Him. If I want to be like Jesus, that means, being immutable. Seasons, humans, technology, and culture changes, but my God remains the same- and asks the same of me. “Be ye steadfast, UNMOVEABLE, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).

    “I only have one thing to do today. Follow Him.”

    Jessica Phillips

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    • Aww jessica, change is really hard for me to accept and process as well so all of this resonates so much. And it’s ironic that you are history teacher – you are literally teaching how the world has changed. I told you this before, but no matter what happened in Wilmington, you coach with your heart and there is a child out there that needs you to…read more

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  • Dear Me:

    Dear Me:

    You’ve come so far, you’ve struggled hard,
    Yet somehow you’ve gone nowhere.

    You’ve been in love, you’ve been a friend,
    But still can’t find someone who cares.

    It’s not your fault, you’ve tried your best,
    But just can’t help to feel ashamed.

    You broke their trust, they broke your heart,
    Still you are not the one to blame.

    Your roads been rough, your feet are worn,
    Yet you still walk through thick and thin.

    You deserve a break, you deserve to live,
    Stuck in the past is where you’ve been.

    You do know better, you know right from wrong,
    Yet you still make the same mistakes.

    But you do you, you must go on,
    It’s your strong will they cannot break.

    You’re a good man, you’ve just made bad choices,
    Don’t let them be what defines you.

    You write these words, you know them well,
    Don’t let bad vibes be the ones that find you.

    Just be yourself, and love yourself,
    Slowly one day things will get better.

    You can do this it’s the choice you made,
    When times get tough just read this letter.

    Mitch Hagen

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    • Mitch, I truly believe every day is a new day to write a new story, to change the narrative of your life. Whatever mistakes you made, whatever love has been lost, each day is a new chance to live the life you want. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed. <3 Lauren

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  • Simple Introduction

    Hello Unsealed Community,
    I just joined this writing platform and to be honest I am not sure what I should say for my introduction. I am socially awkward so interacting with people is very hard for me. Writing is different though. I feel more at ease when I write and can express myself better than I ever could with spoken words. I always loved to write ever since I was little; it is my safe space. Because of this I have been looking for ways to improve my writing and I stumbled upon this community. I have always wanted to find people who loved what I loved. Being homeschooled for most of my life, it was difficult to interact with other people, much less find a group that enjoyed what I enjoyed. So I spent a lot of time by myself with my writing. With that being said, I am truly grateful that I found this community. I hope I can build my writing skills here, as well as meet lots of people and hear all their different stories.

    Yvonne Torres

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    • Aww Yvonne! I am so happy you are here. I always felt like when I write I tap into a part of my brain my conscious mind can’t fully reach. It’s the purist, most honest, undressed version of myself. I am so glad you are here! And I hope you feel all the love that this community has to offers. Welcome and sending hugs! <3 Lauren

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    • Yvonne, welcome! This is a truly kind, accepting and supportive community. I stumbled on it a year ago, after losing my mother, and to some extent, myself. It’s the best place I could be. I hope you find the same community that I have. We all use writing to learn about ourselves in this space. We don’t judge, we embrace. I hope you participate in…read more

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      • Thank you, Chris. You have no idea how I dreamed to find a place like this. Where I could grow my writing and not be judged. I am so excited to attend everything this community has to offer. I am glad you found this place too. You are a very strong person to keep on going after you lost someone you loved. I can’t wait to read some of your writings…read more

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  • a journal on fulfillment

    april 21
    a journal on fulfillment
    unfortunately, I have spent a great deal of my thoughts on the ponderance of what it means to be fulfilled. how we quantify it, test it, live it. most of my 11:11 wishes wish for fulfillment. I know I’m not supposed to give away what I wish for, but that’s not all of it. I’ll keep the rest a secret. I’m under the belief that the majority of people die unfulfilled. the sole thought of going hungry, going broke, going homeless, terrifies people more than the feeling of never finding anything they are passionate about, never falling in love, never feeling like themselves, never feeling as if they’re living out their truth.

    I fear both.

    but I fear never following my passion more. it’s scary to know that money has to be earned and there is no task I currently wish to do in exchange for cash. purpose is so subjective yet as a society, I feel we have found a way to objectify purpose and place it in a see-through box to be displayed. everyone is looking at you, the pressure is on. inside the box, you must do what is subjectively providing a value that has money as currency. I’d rather have fulfillment as currency, get paid in love, joy, contentment, on my own terms. I choose to validate my inner truths rather than suppress them as I believe everyone ought to spend enough of their life digging deep enough within to understand who they are. instead of letting the world tell you. the world tells everyone who to be when they listen to it. but your soul will tell you who to be if you choose to listen to yourself. I think you can only hear yourself when you allow enough quiet, the only thing you can hear is your own production of thoughts, ones that were not placed in your brain externally but created in original form, strictly for your own acknowledgement.

    I think a lot of people fear the quiet because they do not like to face the truths of self. most people are numbing themselves with alcohol, drugs, smoking, hooking up with strangers, partying, everyone seems to have a vice. it’s socially acceptable, even. but what is the true motive behind all of these? most people are deeply uncomfortable with the thoughts that arise when they allow enough silence in order for them to do so. and everything has a cost. everything is an energy exchange, for good or for bad.

    when I was in the worst mental position I have ever been in, I hated being alone. I wanted to fill every silence, spend as much time with others, and numb all my thoughts with drinking, partying, or even eating. we find comfort externally to mask the internal turmoil we are destined to feel at some point in our lives. but acceptance of the good and the bad will allow the upheaval of the bad. as when you accept the dark parts of you, you shine a little light on them. over time, they transform to light. you can create life from death. there is renewal in endings. there is a golden nugget in everything that sucks. but if you spend too much time ignoring the darkness, you will never know how well the light within you shines.

    it’s so easy to follow a path and I wish there was one that made sense for me to follow. it would allow be much easier. but I feel as if I have gotten too comfortable with the depths of myself that I can never go to a surface level to complete a mission not created by the innerworkings of my soul. I’m too deep into the acknowledgement of who I am to skip over, neglect, those parts of me. whatever I end up doing in life has to touch my soul in some way. and maybe that will allow me to open up as a vessel of light to others. or maybe it will only go as deep as to shine through myself, never reach anyone. I think my purpose will someday reach others through myself, but maybe it won’t.

    nonetheless, in order to feel as if you have a reason to live, you have to feel like you are fulfilling a purpose or achieving something. that looks different for everyone. but in general, working towards any sort of goal provides meaning in your daily life. I truly believe those who take their own life felt as though day to day life was not fulfilling. they felt as if everything they were working towards had no meaning, a complete lack of passion or care for how they were spending their time. the exchange of their time was not providing any sort of deeper satisfaction. a complete lack of satisfaction. that’s why I think even people who are depressed, when they are working towards something, never switch over to being suicidal. because they have a reason to be alive every day. I have met a handful of people in my lifetime who have openly admitted to being suicidal in their life at some point. and they said the reason they never did it was because they felt like they still had some sort of reason to be alive. for some people, they started training for something like a marathon or even just a weight loss journey, and every day, it gave them a reason to be alive. some people have a pet they have to feed every day; and if not them, the pet would not be alive. or they have a promotion they are working for, and it gives them purpose day to day.

    but the key to this point is that you have to like what you’re doing, feel as though it is fulfilling a part of you that has been empty. people who feel directionless, or as if they are fulfilling someone else’s dream are more likely to be depressed, or even suicidal. that’s why the distinction of the soul’s desires from worldly placement is astronomically important.

    we actually have a very long life to live and that often gets ignored in the urgency of chasing money. motives have been skewed to the value you can provide for others rather than the value you can find within yourself.

    the debate I have been internally struggling with for some time is whether or not my personal fulfillment is worth the potential external failure. on the outside looking in, dropping everything and going broke to do the Camino de Santiago sounds reckless and a waste of time. but my purpose comes from soul searching, spending time with the Creator, and feeling within myself. the woods are my element and the answers of what it means to be human, for me at least, exist within them. walking every day from Albergue to Albergue will provide my purpose. and mine alone. for I claim my own direction. while walking every day provides no benefit for the world around me, the world inside me will be nurtured in a way money cannot buy.

    that’s the problem, we focus on the things money can buy. we assign value in what can be purchased by paper we earned in exchange for our time. we are told not to focus on anything else as most people feel like spending time delving into the significance of human existence has no real intrinsic value. as they fear the confrontation of any spirituality. but I would argue the sole reason we are here is to uncover all the parts of our soul that are flooded with meaningless jargon pressured upon us as a distraction from who we really are and why we’re here.

    when we leave the earth behind, you’ll die with all the things you have acquired. and if you spent a lifetime creating a soul that will ever last death, your fear of death will evaporate. but those finding fulfillment in chasing wealth and materialistic things to quantify, will fear death, likely laying on their deathbed thinking of all the things they should have done, the things that once mattered to them that perhaps had no external, objective value.

    when I look back on the 24 years I’ve lived thus far, all my most rewarding and valuable moments have not earned me any money or have provided me with anything tangible. they have all been moments that I felt my soul was nurtured. that’s what life is all about. nurturing our soul and dying with moments that live on.

    ava lawrey

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    • Ava- this is beautiful, and full of insight and wisdom.

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    • Ava, this piece is so insightful and so true. I love love love this line: “whether or not my personal fulfillment is worth the potential external failure.”

      It really does feel like it’s one or the other. At least it has for me — and trying to make both ends meet is really really exhausting and draining. As a creative, this is so real and r…read more

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      • Thank you Lauren, I am so happy you resonate with this, I am so inspired by you and this project you have created <3 The trying to make both ends meet is the battle I'm currently going through myself.

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  • ig: @stinagucci shared a letter in the Group logo of Chasing Your DreamsChasing Your Dreams group 2 months ago

    Saturn’s Message of Surrender (Revised)

    Let go.
    Let go—
    of people who no longer walk beside you,
    of things that weigh down your spirit,
    of places that no longer feel like home.
    Let go—
    of the self you no longer recognize,
    of the inner voice that whispers doubt,
    of labels that confine your essence.
    Let go—
    of habits that dim your light,
    of relationships that drain your energy,
    of mistakes etched in yesterday’s shadows.
    Let go—
    of the past that clings,
    of the future that looms,
    of the fear that stifles the present.
    Let go—
    of perspectives that no longer serve,
    of wounds that ache in silence,
    of hurts that echo in your heart.
    Let go—
    of your first love’s memory,
    of your last love’s goodbye,
    of the scarcity mindset that limits your abundance.
    Let go—
    of all that was once known,
    of truths that no longer resonate,
    of anything that doesn’t align with your soul today.
    Let go—
    to move forward,
    to welcome unwritten chapters,
    to embrace the story only you can write.

    Hello.
    Hello—
    to new faces that light up your path,
    to new things that spark joy,
    to new places that feel like belonging.
    Hello—
    to beginnings that stir excitement,
    to opportunities that beckon growth,
    to chances that invite courage.
    Hello—
    to loves that nurture,
    to abundance that flows freely,
    to the present that grounds you.
    Hello—
    to yourself,
    to your essence,
    to the life you are destined to live.

    Let go—
    to surrender to your journey,
    to trust in your becoming,
    to write the story that is uniquely yours

    Justina Madelaine

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    • Justina, this is so good and must read by basically EVERYONE. Saying hello to good and letting go to negative sounds so simple but emotionally it’s had to execute. But if you keep reading your piece it’s such a solid reminder and helps to encourage people to choose their piece always. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The…read more

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  • Spring

    As Springtime starts to approach,
    I feel such a relief of frozeness.
    I feel such relief of stillness.
    Springtime for me is a time to feel alive.
    Feel free.
    It’s a time to let warm sensations caress the body.
    Springtime is about growth.
    About planting those asparagus seeds and watching what comes from those tiny seeds.
    From what once was tiny to what will be extraordinary.
    Springtime is like a crayon.
    Soft.
    Gentle.
    Full of creativity.
    Full of color.
    Full of brightness.
    Springtime is like a crayon.
    Leaving your mark on what once was to something beautiful.
    To something magical.
    For some, Springtime can be a time of transformation.
    A time to use their personal napkin to cleanup what was to make room for what will be.
    As Springtime starts to approach, I leave winter with this…
    “Thank you for the lessons.
    I’m ready for the homework.
    I’m ready to put the frost bites of my past in the freezer of yesterday & open the fridge of growth for today.”

    ** 3 word prompt poem: Asparagus. Crayon
    Napkin **

    Heather

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    • I love the 3-word prompt idea! Spring is my least favorite season… allergies are my nightmare. But, spring does get me excited and out of my house more, which I enjoy! The weather warming up always makes me happy ☺

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  • Pleasure to Meet You

    Unsealers,

    I seem to have a difficult time finding the right words to begin an introduction about who I am because I am still trying to figure that out for myself. I do know that I have a story to tell, and I feel incredibly grateful to have stumbled upon this community where I finally have an opportunity to start doing that for the first time in my life.
    Starting at a young age, I had a craving for the fast life. I entered into the throws of addiction shortly after my age became double digits, I was gifted with a laundry list of mental health diagnosis at age 25 including but not limited to type 1 bipolar, C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression; and in turn I have landed myself in some fairly… less than ideal circumstances due to those facts. All in all my intentions are mostly pure, but I have a tendency to take red flags and mistake them for a carnival, and I seem to try every wrong thing first before I finally get life figured out. Some of the shit I have gotten myself into has changed me forever, some of it makes for a hilarious story, and some of it can still bring me to tears just by thinking about it. All of it has brought me to where I am today. I have experienced child birth, divorce (not once but twice), multiple types of abuse (both on the giving and receiving end), homelessness, prostitution, incarceration, and the list goes on. It will be interesting to see going forward how this all eventually gets out on paper, but I appreciate every one of you that are about to guide me through making that happen. I would love to get to know you all, and I am looking forward to reading what each of you has to say.

    XOXO, kendy

    Kendy Bendewald

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    • Aww Kendy, It sounds like you have been through so much and at the end of the day it’s all led you to look back inside yourself and connect with your heart. You are so strong, and I loved the line about seeing red flags as carnivals. I have totally been there. Welcome to our family. Thank you for sharing. I am going to feature this peace in our…read more

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    • Kendy,
      Life isn’t always kind, I am sorry you have had so much to deal with. And here you are. I hope to read some of your story. This is a kind and supportive space, It’s good to write, read listen and feel the support of this group. Welcome!

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  • It'sAStory

    May this find you all in good health and wellness.
    Let me introduce myself:

    I am AmbitiousBMarie. (Branching off to a new name soon ***NoireRequiem***
    Been writing since I was 13.
    I’m a former foster youth and I strongly believe writing played a major role in my therapy during that time.
    I’m currently located in York,PA
    I was born and raised in NYC, Tha Bronx.
    I want to bring people on the journey of my life.

    We are the ones who hold the history of this World.
    We are the true storytelling animals that write through it all.
    And I am here to give my part of the story.

    So glad to find community online and I hope we all can find solace in each other’s writing journey.

    AmbitiousBMarie

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    • Marie, I have been reading a lot of your work and I am always impressed with your eloquence and the way you make your words so relatable. I’m sure that your childhood in foster care was challenging in a way that those who haven’t experienced it cannot understand, but I think it has given you a strength that is palpable in your work. I can’t wait…read more

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  • TK shared a letter in the Group logo of Chasing Your DreamsChasing Your Dreams group 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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    h. o. p. e.

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  • TK shared a letter in the Group logo of Chasing Your DreamsChasing Your Dreams group 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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    me myself and i.

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  • Cortney Valle shared a letter in the Group logo of Introductions, Icebreakers and PromptsIntroductions, Icebreakers and Prompts group 3 months, 3 weeks ago

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    Meet me and a little poem about who I am

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  • NEVER GIVE UP

    Thank you very much
    Hide quoted text

    On Mon, Feb 24, 2025, 10:43 PM Lauren Brill wrote:
    Click write a letter now in the top right once you are signed in and then you can put it in the “chasing your dreams” category.

    Lauren

    On Mon, Feb 24, 2025 at 10:25 PM Leroy Bragg wrote:
    Thank you very much, where would I put the story at
    On Mon, Feb 24, 2025, 10:15 PM Lauren Brill <lauren@theunsealed.com

    So for 24 years I have been a lube/tire tech, I have worked some Amazing jobs and never expected to move up, well after my Longest reign of 7 years at a job, I had a opportunity to get within 10 minutes of my home.So I hated leaving but it was time to go.The first day at this new job was SPECTACULAR, after that it was A NIGHTMARE, I regretted going to work, but I was working 5 days a week so I really couldn't leave.I received a call from my job I walked out on 20 years ago.It just so happened the interview was the day we were getting off work early for a Christmas party ( I didn't go to the party) I went to the job was Ready to be a LUBE TECH ( he didn't need what I was) So I figured a porter or something smaller,( I didn't care I WANTED OUT of that other job and I was willing to DO ANYTHING.My boss told me I was to be PDI TECH( ALOT BETTER and better pay) So I GREATLY ACCEPTED.I would quit this other job ( another story) And I'm VERY HAPPY I HAVE AMAZING COWORKERS, I'M HAPPY, and I love MY JOB AGAIN ( FIRST TIME IN YEARS) I THANK GOD for All the hardships cause it led me to my Final Auto shop.I don't know how long I have left to work on cars, But honestly I'm just getting started.PH 4:13 I Can do all things through Christ who strengthen me.

    Leroy Bragg

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    • Leroy, I’m so glad that you made your way to the job you were meant to be at. Sometimes, it takes leaving a toxic workplace to understand what we truly need in our job. It says a lot that you have stayed in the same industry for 24 years! I’m sure you are absolutely great at what you do. Thank you for sharing your experience!

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  • out of the echoing cave

    out of the echoing cave
    By: Jim Kellogg
    (The Queer Poet)
    2-2025

    the shards of glass
    from the broken mirror
    pierce the heavy and dark clouds
    causing a turbulent storm
    overwhelming and
    tossing me around without direction
    the invisible wounds have festered for years
    leaking like droplets from a frozen river on a sunny day
    i feel like i am trapped in an echoing cave

    then…

    i see her
    my brave and cherished mother
    a woman who shed her own tears
    sometimes silent
    sometimes wailing
    she harkens me to the edge of the echoing cave
    there…
    she shows me an open window
    an unexpected means of letting go

    Jim Kellogg

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    • Jim, this is such a beautiful poem. I love how in your first stanza you describe the turmoil you felt and how it seemed to trap you inside. When you shift to seeing your mother and finding strength in her strength, it seems like the pain you felt melts away. Thank you for sharing your work!

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  • Everything In Its Own Time

    What does it mean to have your dreams come true? I’m from a small town and my entire life I have heard “you can’t.” “You’re from a small town, it’s impossible.” Well, I am here to tell you, it is possible. If you were to ask any 10 people on the street, they would say “I wish I had chased my dreams when I was younger.” Everything has its own way of happening on its own time. And I am living proof. My first novel will be published on May 18th of this year, I have began to sing in public again after several years, I have someone who loves me for me and doesn’t look at me like an object and my family has seen my smile returned to me. Thank you The Unsealed for helping me achieve my writing dreams and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

    Shay Vogler

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    • Shay, I am from a small town too and I’ve always thought that the way people’s dreams are often crushed because of location is simply unacceptable. We should all be encouraged to reach our goals no matter what part of the world we live in. I am so glad that you are reaching your dreams…and congratulations on your novel! Thank you for sharing!

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  • Tracie Sperling shared a letter in the Group logo of Chasing Your DreamsChasing Your Dreams group 4 months, 2 weeks ago

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    It Was Not Long Ago

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  • a journal on pursuit

    feb 3
    a journal on pursuit.
    what if you did? what if you just kept going? what if that dream of yours wasn’t actually too big? that things start aligning, making sense. what if? most people look at what if in a negative light but what if something fucking incredible happened? what if you do in the future, in this moment, for the future? instead of the reminiscent ‘what if’, the optimistic version. perhaps there is no negative outcome of the pursuit of anything. as even failure has its benefits. even failure is a step towards achievement. as some movement is better than none at all. even when its redirection. even when it feels like the world is rejecting you, you are still on the path you are meant to be on, as long as that dream of yours goes nowhere.

    truly, I believe everyone has desires deep within them that will never go anywhere. no matter if you try to supplement this desire by something arguably more ‘realistic’, it will never go away. nothing can ever scratch the itch of a dream you have except the pursuit of said dream itself. the more you hesitate, the more you cast fear and doubt on this dream, the farther it will feel. yet the stronger pull you have towards it. the more you tell yourself it isn’t possible, that it’s stupid to think you could have that, the more you will create a pull towards it. so why suppress it? why spend a life going after things you don’t truly want in hopes your truest desires will be fulfilled through supplementation?

    most people say they wanted to be something, and decided otherwise as it didn’t seem practical. those people are not truly happy or fulfilled in what they chose to do instead. they are living a life of phony, of pretend. the active decision to not pursue their truest self. how can you argue with your own truth? as if your soul doesn’t reveal its own truth, but your mind will for it?

    for years, I could feel exactly in my soul what I wanted out of life. I wished to be aloof in a beautiful way, out in the world, authentically, organically connecting with people of all origins and finding a way to impact communities globally. I always wanted to be a famous writer. to spend as much time as possible creating. I’ve always had an adventure spirit, and a creative mind. I’ve always had a fear or not seeing enough, experiencing enough, meeting enough people, creating enough memories. since I was young, fomo has kept me up at night. the fear of missing out. my parents would always tell me, “the day is over, you can do more tomorrow.” but that answer never silenced the desire in my brain to do as much as I could. I’ve always been so hungry for life. it has always came naturally to want more, to challenge each day, to search for beauty in every single day.

    admittedly, I have spent a lot of time pursuing other passions, hoping that my truest passion would go away on its own. how foolish of me. to silence my own voice. to suppress my own purpose and wonder why I cannot find purpose elsewhere? that nothing else in the world has felt like I’m meant to do it, makes sense why now. I thought I wouldn’t be able to be out in the world on my own, so instead I got a job to travel and make money doing that, which sounds ideal. but it doesn’t scratch the itch enough. it isn’t enough. it is not the authentic, organic, traveling I am craving. and it will never be enough no matter how many times I try to tell myself that is the only way I’ll be capable of what I want to do, an easier way out of what I actually want to be out in the world doing. I have always written, but have always put it on the backburner. I have always told myself that it isn’t good enough, that in no way could I be a successful poet, writer, on my own. that I had to have a normal job and it could always just be a passion on the side.

    but these thoughts consume me.

    these passions consume me.
    that’s how I know they are meant to be pursued relentlessly. no matter what I try to do instead, there will always be a nagging voice in the back of my mind containing my truth, begging for my acknowledgment. begging for my honest effort, and full effort towards it. as nothing will work out for me until I am on the path of truth. the versions of me that has tried to suppress my truth are the versions of me that keeps feeling rejection from the universe in different forms.

    so, that feeling, urge, deep in your soul will never go away. trust it. respect it. chase it. spend your life not only in acknowledgement of it, but in pursuit of it.

    ava lawrey

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    • Ava, I totally agree that we need to trust those feelings we have deep within us. We need to constantly and consistently pursue our dreams. Though we are made to believe that practical endeavors are best, they don’t always fill our souls the way that chasing our dreams does. I hope that you can continue to chase your dreams of both traveling and…read more

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      • Totally true! It’s always pushed to fulfill worldly desires but sometimes our souls crave more than that. Thank you for reading 🙂

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  • Newbie Post

    Obligated newbie post..
    Hello all. My name is Heather & I’ve always found comfort in writing. I’m an avid journal writer for 25 yrs now. It’s my safe place. I just released my debut book/memoir last month. I saw this site as a sponsored ad on my IG. Figured it was a sign from the writers universe due to the fact I’ve been wanting to enhance & enrich my writing skills. Get back into the poetry era of my life. I’m hoping to find some inspiration & motivation thru this app. Thru everyone’s words. 🖤

    Heather

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    • Yayyy. I’m so glad you found this platform Heather. The Unsealed is so awesome it’s a safe space to share what you are going through without being judged for it. And there is always someone who has been through the similar story that you put out there. Congratulations on releasing your brook! That’s exciting. I really would like to get in touch…read more

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      • Thank you! The best advice I can give to you is write the memoir. No matter what we do in life, we’re always going to have that ONE negative. Besides all of that, I researched as much as I can. If you have a Facebook, look into some of the publishing groups they offer. I joined one and that was the best decision. Where I got most of my answers.…read more

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  • Ava Lawrey shared a letter in the Group logo of Chasing Your DreamsChasing Your Dreams group 6 months ago

    A Journal on Becoming

    dec 11
    a journal on becoming

    I meet who I am with who I was. I often find that most people cannot become more than they are because of their unwillingness to sacrifice who they were. who you were at some point is not who you want to stay. yet the version of you who you are now has so many things you can’t stand to lose. who will you be when you shed the layers? when you rid yourself of the friends, the places, the things you currently have in order to become anew?

    what if you let go of everything only to fail? you fear failure to the point of hesitation. scarred to pull the trigger on your biggest dream because the worst that could happen is you fail. but what if failure isn’t the worst that could happen? what if the worst that could happen is that you die saying what if? you die a dreamer. a composition of untold stories and regrets.

    there is an abundance of layers of who I am. as I believe we are multi-faceted creatures meant to explore all the parts of ourselves. beyond the usual, beyond the straight path. I found that our path narrows during the process of schooling and the entrance into adulthood, as if we get let out only to be one exact thing we chose for ourselves. as if all the other things are not worth the exploration. as if we ought to choose. as if we can only be one thing. like there is only room for one version of ourselves in this timeline. that’s so not true. the best version of me is the one where I am overly passionate about so many things. where I get to list all of the things I love and you can decide my individuality and commitment to fulfillment. that’s why I started saying “live passionately” in high school. we are meant to be full of life.

    it all starts with our mind. are you one to push boundaries? set the bar higher? reach for more than what was presented? it’s too easy to accept exactly as we are gifted and make no effort towards anything greater and that is foolish. the mind doesn’t fit inside a box. neither does life. things will bend and break and change the bounds of the box. to be so rigid is to rob yourself of a passionate and fulfilling life.

    say you are one to love the rigidity of life. structure, a set plan, path, curated for you. that way you can go through life with it laid out for you. maybe you grew up with a family business. everything was predetermined for you. and you like that. you like that you do exactly as you are told. you don’t need to put thought into anything and the ease of that makes life worth living for you. and good for you.

    but there’s more.

    on the other side of that is freedom. freedom to create, to fail, to be, to take up any space you want. we forget that we can be adults trying something for the first time. there is no age limit on youthfulness. the innocence of learning is commendable. there is a level of vulnerability that presents with learning something for the first time past the schooling age. deciding you want to learn how to swim at 24, for example. that’s me. I want to learn how to swim at 24 years old and though many may think there is embarrassment that should fall behind that, I believe there is no age limit to learning something new. who cares? who cares if it’s your first time picking up an instrument? your first time trying to learn a new language? nobody cares as much as you do.

    the battle of adulthood and adolescence lives in my brain in a dauntingly beautiful conundrum. somedays I feel my youth peering in, begging to try new things and be a beginner again. while my ego loves to play and tell me I should be an expert as my age shall reflect my skill levels at any given task. that is so foolish, to care, to put unnecessary pressure on skill. to try your best is all you can do. show up as you, give it what you have, hold true to yourself.

    who are we if we fail to embrace all versions of ourselves? if we don’t channel the past, present, and future all within the same moment than we are not the fullest, most complete version of self. I am me as I once was and as I will be. all of me has existed already, and I am the embodiment of my own totality. I trust in the self, as there is always a future version of me protecting who I currently am. and the coexistence of myself in time allows for the decisions I make to lead me to where I am meant to be. as there is no wrong decision. they all make sense in your path. the journey has no right or wrong answers, it just is as it is.

    the process of becoming is a transition that begs for change. transition equals change. becoming requires change. allow things to change in your life. acknowledge the exit of people, places and things. allow the entrance of things that better align on your path. as your trust will expedite your higher version of yourself. and the acceptance of the adjustment period will excel you in your growth. be okay with loss. as the only way we gain is by losing something in its place. I believe life works in ways of replacement. there is always something to replace what once was. someone to replace who once was. if you look at life in replacements, you realize you’re never really losing anything. just finding better fitting pieces.

    I am, I was, I will be. all simultaneously.

    sacrificing aspects of our life typically comes across as giving up something. to let go. and while that is true, it does not have to be a negative. we let go to allow. we release so that we can hold better. this year I have chosen the path of sacrifice. I stopped doing a lot of things I used to do, I let go of a lot of things and people I used to love. I’m chasing the higher version of me that exists separate of those things, and I allow the entrance of better things that will enhance my life as those things did not. if that means ridding my life of everything except myself, then so be it. as I trust in the version of myself in the future to protect my current path. as she has what I currently desire. and those exist mutually. the strongest, most fulfilled people have found a way to accept sacrifice and have reframed the way they view it. viewing it as a tool, necessary to move forward along their path. as I feel lighter, less weight on my back, with less distraction. and I will meet the version of me I wish to be with the one that is ready for her. sacrifice is preparation.

    I have allowed myself to live fearlessly as I have granted myself protection by releasing a fear of failure. to fully grasp the idea that failure is not real is to give yourself the freedom to be. to be all of you, all the versions you can think up. to try all of it. to be okay with setbacks, confusion, sacrifice. as all are tools to becoming.

    become as you are, as you will be, who you are destined to be. don’t fight the urges, the gut feelings, the knowing of who you are to be. you already know, you have to acknowledge yourself. the time will pass anyways. my life has forever changed the first time I heard that. you already know who you are to be, you can feel it in your soul. who you are meant to be will seep out of your pores, it will be begging for your acknowledgement, begging for your pursuit. the pursuit of self is life’s greatest gift to ourselves. as we pursue ourselves, life is filled with passion.

    ava lawrey

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