I’m a writer and words have meaning. My Dad was a Marine and for him Action is what matters. I don’t expect him to say I love you, because that is not the generation he grew up in where Men expressed emotions. Yet I know he loves me when he took care of his family and bought me action figures (Star Trek or Superheroes) even when I broke the last ones. I learn from my Dad to be more of a Man who may not always say what he feels but shows it. I’m not going to ever hear my Dad gush with emotions and I don’t need to.

He didn’t say it when I was a little boy who wanted to make movies and he’s not going to say it now.

Paradoxically, I do use the words, “I love you,” but only if I mean them and I have did some action to show it is how I feel. I’m not going too much into my personal life though. I do that by writing characters and using fiction as a basis for truths I have found in life.

I have found some use “I love you” to manipulate others and their actions are the total opposite of Love. In writing and researching crime stories, I find Women and Men who have been abused verbally and physically by people who constantly say “I love you.”

So as the son of a Marine, I will say, if someone really and truly loves you, they won’t have to say it. You will know it.

Oddly enough one of my friends likes to compliment me in what can be called paradoxically jealous. He said, I was fearless.

The circumstances was I went and talked to someone while he didn’t. Often times I strike up conversations with people I find intriguing. I didn’t want anything but just to say hello.

My Friend, on the other hand, puts a lot of thought into how things benefit him and tries to make calculations on whether it is worth it to meet someone new.
I didn’t see it as being “fearless,” but just being friendly. I explained this to my Friend who didn’t get the benefit of saying hello to a stranger. Although I just decided to take the compliment and keep being fearless (friendly).

I told my Friend, sometimes you just have to do nice things and not want anything in return.

I told him a story from a movie “The Fisher King.”

ly saw a man alone and in pain. And he asked the king “What ails you friend?” The king replied “I’m thirsty. I need some water to cool my throat”. So the fool took a cup from beside his bed, filled it with water and handed it to the king. As the king began to drink, he realized his wound was healed. He looked in his hands and there was the holy grail, that which he sought all of his life. And he turned to the fool and said with amazement, “How can you find that which my brightest and bravest could not?” And the fool replied “I don’t know. I only knew that you were thirsty”

Dear Teens,
As a teenager, I too struggled with low self-esteem and insecurities. In high school I would watch other more confident students run for student government, try out for sports teams, cheerleading squad or audition for school plays. I never felt smart enough or athletic enough or even pretty enough to succeed at anything I went for in school. I was a prisoner of my own irrational fears. Then one day my english teacher, who was the drama club supervisor, suggested I try out for the yearly school musical. I was so afraid to go for it even though I secretly would have loved to be on stage. Well I decided to audition and lo and behold I got a part. The really scary thing was I had to play a stripper in the play “Gypsy”. I had to wear a skimpy costume in front of the whole school. I was terrified. Well opening night came. I danced and sang in front of 1000 people. That was the moment I learned that it is important to face your fears, try new experiences and know that its all part of our journey in life. That night I gained a lot of confidence. I suggest, don’t be afraid of the unknown. You will be surprised what you are capable of accomplishing. The sky is the limit!
Shelley

Hey Guys!

I decided to introduce pen pals in groups of four. You can also add and write to anyone in the community, but this just breaks the ice a bit.

So @johncarubbagmail-com @zaysmith1 @polok12 @prelude2cinema7 all say hello.

To break the ice, share with each other the best compliment you have ever received. One of my personal favorites was from a friend from Buffalo. She had a lot of issues with the guy she was dating at the time. And when I was leaving she wrote me a card. In it she said, “Whenever I have to make a strong decision in life, I think of you.”

I was so touched. Another favorite came from a man who was blind. He said, “Everyone keeps telling me that it’s too bad I can’t see because you are really beautiful. But I don’t need vision to see that you are beautiful.”

He was saying I was beautiful person.

I can’t wait to hear your stories!

You guys can start a new letter/new thread in this group or any other group. You can post your letters on your social media and decide whether you want the letters to be public for the world or private for The Unsealed community.

Thank you for being a part of the family, and I hope you guys enjoy writing to each other. If you have any questions, I am always here to help.

I love you all,

Hey Guys!

I decided to introduce pen pals in groups of four. You can also add and write to anyone in the community, but this just breaks the ice a bit.

So @sarita @lisaferreri21 @vcalero @jfritz all say hello. You are all strong and courageous people with stories to tell.

To break the ice, share with each other something that made you proud during the pandemic. Maybe you learned something new. Maybe you realized you were stronger than you thought. Perhaps you opened yourself up to making new virtual friends or maybe you started a business.

When the pandemic hit, I thought The Unsealed would unravel. I thought no one would sign up, and I wouldn’t be able to afford to keep going. While I was scared, I decided to step on the gas, even more, using the extra time at home to work harder and reach out to people one by one.

During the pandemic, I built enough of a foundation to get it to where it is today (which is still in its infancy, but it is a start). I am really proud I didn’t give up. I am really proud I pushed myself. I am really proud that I fought as hard as I could when facing fear, and I was blessed with all of your support.

You guys can start a new letter/new thread in this group or any other group. You can post your letters on your social media and decide whether you want the letters to be public for the world or private for The Unsealed community.

I can’t wait to read your letters and why you are proud.

Thank you for being a part of the family, and I hope you guys enjoy writing to each other. If you have any questions, I am always here to help.

I love you all,

Dear @telina27 and @amazz94,

I want to officially introduce you two as pen pals! Both of you are such kind people with creative minds. Telina, Alex is artists. Alex, Telina is a writer. You both have had loss in your life but also have experienced a lot of love from your families.

I thought I would start you off with an icebreaker question. You guys also don’t have to reply to this thread. You can start your own.

But the icebreaker is, what is the best compliment you’ve ever received. I have two. In high school, I didn’t get into honors English. My guidance counselor advocated for me.

He said, “If you give her a challenge, she won’t only meet it, she will far exceed it.”

I got into honors English that year and also got an A in the class. I wanted to prove my guidance counselor right.

In my 20’s I also had a friend tell me, “When I need to make a strong decision I think of you.”

I didn’t know she perceived me that way. I was so touched.

Anyways, feel free to start a new letter in any of the groups/topics and start writing to each other.

Be kind. Be supportive. Be honest and have fun! Let me know if you have any questions.

xo

Hey @mehraslam and @ashley_topham, I wanted to introduce you both. Ashley meet Mehr and Mehr meet Ashley. Either one of you can start writing each other or you can both do a post. Just go to your profile and start writing and @ the other person. Make sure you select group (you have to be part of a group to post in that group and respond.)

I wanted to get you guys started with an icebreaker. The Icebreaker is What is one of your favorite childhood memories and how has it impact the person you are today?

I will share one of mine. Every Saturday morning my parents used to sleep late because they liked to go out on Friday nights. So, my brother and I would be up early all alone. My brother, who was four years older, used that time to teach me what he learned in school. I absolutely loved the one-on-one attention from my brother. He wasn’t teasing me like he did most other times of day. He wasn’t competing with me like we did when we played sports. He was helping me grow and giving me a head start in life.

I ended up getting such a head start, when I got to Kindergarten the school decided to skip me to first grade. I was so excited to make my brother proud and realized I should listen to my brother more often. So, through the years, I always looked to him for advice. Decades later, I still defer to my big brother. He believes in me and encourages me and he is a big reason why I have persevered through some of my darkest days.

I can’t wait to hear your stories! xo PS. Don’t forget to join the different groups before you post your letters.