Love has taken me many places and taught me so many important lessons. I truly believe that love is the best teacher in the world. Love is vast and can change your life. This is what love has taught me over the years and is what motivates me to make it through the dark days and to celebrate the beautiful ones.
The Greeks had seven words for […] View
Woke up in a daze not feeling like I wanted to go to work. I attempted to call out. Talked to my boss it was a definite NO, I need you come in… Uhg so I did. feeling bad about leaving my boss hangin I strolled in to work every thing was fine just as it should be. I set up and took my first client.second, third and so on and so forth, I noticed a boy and his mother walk in and sit down. The mother was called by the stylist the sat up front probably about 11 or 12 I would say… All of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I see him grabbing his throat and trying to cough. Without even a thought or a memory of how I got from.here to there it was like an outer body experience watching from above myself in motion attending and defending this little boys will to live. It was crazy, each thrust I felt his body get tighter it seemed like forever I was giving the heimlich maneuver. I’ll tell ya… it wasn’t “I hope” this thing. Comes out it was “going to” come out…. And it did the boy with a blue hue had a natural color to him again.
thank you to who ever what ever that was that came over me the boy started to cough just as the EMTs arrived I stepped a way. They were all clapping, my boss was crying and shaking as was I. My boss pulled me out back to talk she was like how, why if you took the day off…. I just glad you were here today.
The mother of the boy however was beyond her self gave me a hug asked how could she ever repay me for saving the boy I said to her… Him being
alive and breathing is payment enough.
This is my memorable moment….
Lauren it was unimaginable the timing the fact that my boss wouldn’t let me call out It was truly a unbelievable experience I don’t think of myself as a hero though….I just did what my body led me to do It was surreal there was one other time when there was a boy drowning in Western Mass and I happened to look down and saw him doing the dead…read more
Hi Lauren I had a question for you and wasn’t sure how to message you directly but been thinking about writing a memoir for years now not quite sure how to do it or if I could get sponsored by someone to actually publish it wondering how that works thanks
Hey! We’ve done a few shows on it. Once you write the transcript, you have to format it (you can hire someone on Upwork for whatever price range you want). You also need an isbn which you can buy on https://www.myidentifiers.com/. After that you need a cover. Amazon can create one with AI for free, or you can make one on canva with the dimensions…read more
Chasing, pacing, racing
Only in my dreams
I want so bad to see them come true
But I haven’t come to terms with seeing it thru my desires and wants take second stage
To the battle that is everyday
Someday I hope I can make them happen
Glory day, I hope and pray for my time to come
Though It lasts just a second
And then it ends…
it’s already written
Steady as I go
Inspiration pouring out my soul
Mind and body collide
Heart and soul coincide
Fact and fiction divide
Making you feel alive
Sometimes I get real
I kneel and pray to a god not yet saved
Steal and pay for the next day
You’ll find a way
Just stay, don’t run
It could way a ton
My thoughts exactly
Don’t beg just ask me
I’ll stay till the light burns out
Be quiet and listen to your first decision
Be quiet and run for the day is done
Another quest tomorrow will avenge sorrow
What am I most thankful for
I’m thankful for my children. They’re grown now and they are both healthy, smart and inquisitive. They brighten my day.
I’m thankful I’m alive to witness everything in life My goal is to learn from my mistakes and I’m thankful I have coping skills.
I don’t have much but I’m thankful I have a roof over my head.
I’m thankful I have helped others. I’m thankful I can take constructive criticism and I’m able to endure it.
I’m thankful to have a sister, that’s about all the family I have.
I’m thankful for my job and the ability to be able to work with injuries and mental illness, I persevere. I have been in situations where I shouldn’t be alive but I’m thankful that I am.
I’m thankful that I can see the leaves on the trees change.
I’m thankful I can breathe, though I don’t have a range
My life has been hard It’s been marred by sadness and violence but I’ve remained silenced.
Danielle, It sounds like despite hardships there is so much good in your life and there are many reasons to be thankful. You are strong and resilient. You should be so proud and thankful for your spirit in addition to everything that you named. Thank you for sharing this piece and thank you for being part of The Unsealed. <3 Lauren
These are not my legs,
I’m watching myself from above
I wonder…
Are those mine
I can’t feel them, holy christ!
I can see them
My brains scrambled,
Astral projection, dmt and me
I can see,
Try to be me.
I have questions.
MS? Nerve damage? Poor circulation?
Or are you in a “floating” phase right now?
Fun Fact: I too like taking pictures of my feet but it’s because I like my shoes.
You should paint something on your boots.
Last night, I didn’t sleep well, as I had several nightmares. I was haunted by the endless images I saw in the news: A young woman’s naked, lifeless, unconscious (possibly deceased) body being paraded around as a trophy after Hamas attacked young people at a music festival in Israel, a 25-year-old woman begging for her life as she was taken as a hostage and babies whose faces were covered in dust and blood from the bombs thrown near their homes.
When I awoke this morning, I immediately read the news to see the latest. And while the horror continues on the other side of the world, I was also disheartened to learn that hate was just outside my doorstep.
People at rallies down the street from where I slept last night are wearing, holding, and celebrating images of swastikas and promoting anti-semitic rhetoric. For the first time in my life, I was and am scared to be Jewish.
While I have been doing my best to educate myself through the news, friends, and online resources, I am not going to sit here and pretend I fully understand the conflict between Palestine and Israel – because I don’t. And I know that it’s natural and easy to see the world through the lens of my own experiences and identity.
However, we all, myself included, should see and feel our humanity reflected in every person on this planet. And act accordingly.
As I try to process these last few days, the violence happening in the Middle East is not just about me, or any one group of people or politics. This cruel attack on innocent people is about all of us. It is a threat to all of humanity.
No child, no person, whether they share my background or not, whether Palestinian or Israeli (or any other culture, race, or religion), deserves to live or die in such an inhumane way.
There are a lot of issues we can’t and won’t agree on in this world. But we universally should believe in and tirelessly advocate for love, compassion, and peace for all people.
And sadly, right now, that’s not the case.
I am scared and heartbroken as I pray for the victims of violence, our world, and humanity.
I’m at a loss for words to describe the depths of evil for these murders of innocent people. I can’t comprehend humans committing these acts against other humans. Why with all the prayers that happen worldwide daily do things like this even happen? Please stay safe from these protests and God help the Middle East with everything you have.
Advocating for pushing beyond your
Comfort zone is easy, it’s just words.
Applying it to yourself is hard and requires
A dauntless temperament that’s bolder
Than your fear, that binds your actions.
As an introvert who bottles up her
Emotions and fears, confronting
Anyone who’s hurt me has a severe
Strain over me, anxiety flourishing,
Sweating, combing through vocabulary that Never,
Ever seems to fit, and always has
The possibility of being misinterpreted
As my clarity of thought comes
With pen, paper, thoughts processed
Slowly for the least hurt possible attained.
Consequences of words spoken
Can’t easily be taken back, and they happen
To have a lingering effect that’s unspoken!
Aww Malak – Never be afraid to use your voice – whether it be with a pen or a microphone. You are a strong and beautiful person, the world deserves to see your heart. Keep pushing yourself. You got this. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed. <3 Lauren
I’m all alone walking and I’m stoned feel the night rise behind my back I’ve got a flashlight but it’s still black
I think it’s lack of comprehension but I’m not sure there’s no simple way that I can cure the tension
Intervention, still alone hanging by a thread on the edge of the world
Oh, did I forget to mention
My dear you’ve gone to far
It was a slight intention by
Regression, back to basics
Stay to listen to my submission
While I revise my inclination.
My mind is mine, I love it so.
My time is timed, wish it would go slow
The bind is tight though I see the light
Intervening capsules of life defy the integrity of thought.
Insignificance has brought a rapture upon all that is lost.
Danielle, Your words beautifully capture the complex nature of the mind and the passage of time. The struggle between the desire for slow moments and the rushing reality is relatable. The interplay of thoughts and the sense of insignificance can be overwhelming, but remember that even in the chaos, there is always a glimmer of light and hope. Keep…read more
Hey you!
I wanted to let you know you are doing a great job in your life. Your getting things done and making things happening for yourself, kicking ass and taking names. Your mother and father are still together which is endearing and you sister is going to college, you have the best relationship with her.
You’ve went to school as well what a feat! You graduated and became a forensic psychologist, and look at your body it is amazing, What have you been doing!?
How are your kiddos doing? They must be getting big. Your son has also been to college, he’s a great kid! Your daughter what a beautiful young lady she’s 13 now and made high honors in school.
You are so lucky,You have no family drama…
Danielle, Your mom and dad raised you right, You’re a great mom yourself. always tending to your children making sure they have everything they need. The farm house you live in is gorgeous, and it’s so emaculate how do you do it all and keep it together without losing your sanity, You’ve always been a patient person so that’s not hard to believe. I wish I had The luck you have, always winning on the lottery, man… you have it made!
Danielle! I love this! You have such a strong sense of what will and does give you peace in life. I can feel the warmth of home in your writing. Your life will unfold as you plan, I just know it. It is all in your control. Your heart will guide you. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed family. Happy Holidays! <3 Lauren
To a local bar we went with the intention of having a drink and blowing off some steam. at this point in time I was at the end of a bad relationship, and could have never imagined what lye await that night.
We walked in took a left and sat down. As we watched the bar stools like hawks, I noticed this good looking man out of the corner of my eye. At the time I didn’t pay much attention to him, just a good looking guy right? Except there was something,
Some seats finally opened up at the bar and Michelle and I took our rightful seats, ordered a drink and the night began… Getting up to use the bathroom after two or three drinks, I came back to take my seat once again, low and behold he (The good looking guy from earlier) had the nerve to take my seat. Me feeling a little tipsy and ballsy decided to tap on his shoulder and give him a peace of mind because at that point I was not in the mood to play this game, I couldn’t believe this guy
He turned to me and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, he exclaimed he was sorry and gave me my seat back like a gentleman. I was impressed to say the least, But still just chalked it up to some bar banter. I’m not going to lie though my heart did begin to race a little, it was that feeling again But why was I feeling this with someone I just met we hadn’t even really talked what was I thinking, so we talk some more and suddenly we began kissing… God it was awesome I couldn’t stop myself it was like I released my body into his and everything fell into place exactly how it should have, it was like a storybook it felt amazing.
So here I am in a bar with my friend kissing a man I never met before, but it felt so right, so good. This kissing went on for a good hour and a half, this was in front of everyone in the bar and I could have given a shit less…then
it was time to go like someone blowing out of flame when it gets too tall, so we exchanged numbers and I left simple as that you say? (Oh no no no) certainly not. I Get in the car and knew I made a huge mistake, I needed to have him with me. If I didn’t act fast I might never see him again I told my friend this, she told me “go get him!”… so I ran back in as fast as I could. Was I wrong? was I making a mistake? was this a bad move? was he going to turn me down? who knows… I’m just going to do it. So I get up the nerve to run back in I spot him and I grab his arm and lead him to my car, he came! holy crap! he went with it! thank God!
What was I supposed to do now I had no idea, so I just went with it. We dropped Michelle off and went back to get his car, he asked me if I smoked I said I did, so we engaged in a bowl. It was awesome I finally had someone to smoke with. It was so relaxing and mellow to be hanging out with him He’s amazing, how did this happen?
Nowadays he’s the love of my life, I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of that one night at the bar.
Wow! What a cool story ! Good on you that you went back in the bar and got him. The regret you would have felt by wondering “what would have happened”? is the worst. The “what if?” is a terrible feeling. Way to go Danielle. 😊
Hi Danielle. This is really good. Simple. Yet a few words can tell a total story sometimes. Very creative. Very nice to meet you. Hope you have a wonderful weekend
Thanks Jim! Figured I’d bring it back to the basics I remember writing these when I was in school when they first started teaching us about poetry I hope you enjoy reading some of my stuff!
Heyyyyy 🙂
Im gonna read more for sure. That one I responded to hit home cuz my brother (way more creative than me) did two of those many years ago for my mom and dad. Basics, as you say. But says a lot. Eclectic? Daring ? Nice. Help me out tho. Neoteric? What’s that?
Hello all!
My name is Danielle and I’ve been writing since I was 10 yrs old “not professionally” But for me, for my sanity for me to understand me! for me to understand other people and for me to make sense of the world. It’s something that always came natural when there was trauma in my life. somewhere I could hide from everything and hear myself out loud.
I think it’s the people who have a hard time getting their emotions out verbally in the presence of others, that make the best writers!
I’ve been inside out and upside down in my own head, It can be really scary sometimes and it can be very endearing at others.
I will end it with one of my favorite quotes from One of my favorite authors,
“I was not proud of what I had learned, but I never doubted that it was worth knowing.”
Hunter s. Thompson
I started writing young as a way to express myself as well. You remind me a little of @bakerdeandrea94icloud-com You should check out some of her writing!
When we talk about those we have lost it doesn’t have to mean someone has died physically, rather someone you have lost connection with or someone that decided to leave you mentally.
I chose this topic because this relationship that I no longer have with my mother has impacted me greatly in my life,
This was not my decision by any means but people have different reasons for things that they do.
I have not seen heard or talked to my mother in 27 years it seems like a travesty but in actuality it’s probably a good thing.
A little backstory:
My mother has always been into hard drugs as long as I can remember I remember crawling on the floor through needles in my diapers and I remember the (tax man) she called him coming to her house a couple times a week with a briefcase. God only knows what was in that briefcase. As I grew up I remember my mother getting taken out on a stretcher by the ambulance and police for what I have no idea I was probably about 6 years old, My mother had a lot of mental health issues along with the drug use, My grandmother ended up sectioning her a few times I can remember bringing her to the hospital and watching her fight, kick, punch and bite The orderlies it took five to assist in getting hurt tied down in the bed so she wouldn’t hurt anyone for herself anymore. Know that I’m grown and I look back at these instances on baffled at how a mother can let her child see and hear and witness all of these things at such a young age it breaks my heart but I’ve learned to cope. I don’t think you can ever cope fully to a situation like this flashbacks always happen for me I have PTSD and night terrors about things that used to happen I remember being woken up at 2:00 in the morning when I was 5 to be told that we had to get out of the house and go live somewhere else (We were living with my mother’s boyfriend at the time)
This happened on a number of occasions with different men. I went to a new school every year back and forth to my mom and dad’s never had a stable place.
I do feel bad for her she missed out on so much of her life as well as mine But I do not feel bad taking my sanity back and getting myself well. Like they say when you’re at the bottom of the barrel there’s no where else to go but up so you just got to keep trucking everybody has their own faults and decisions that they have to make. I do believe drugs obviously have a hand in all of this but I don’t believe that she didn’t have the option not to get involved with it those are our own decisions to make and the path we choose does impact others and to not think of it that way is selfish. For my sake in my kids sake I chose to break the ties with her she scares me And I don’t want my kids to ever feel like I did around her so they also have never met her. I feel like I want to miss her but I also feel like that’s letting my guard down and I’m so hyper-sensitive to not becoming her I know I’m not her and I know I don’t make these decisions that she makes and I know that I love my children and would never put them in harm’s way I just can’t wrap my head around The situation still I’m 41 years old now and I’m not involved in heavy drugs I do what I need to do to survive and I’ve got a pretty level-head on my shoulders so I guess I can thank her for that, but as for showing me how to be a mother I will take the credit for that
With all this in mind I guess the lesson learned is no one to walk away when you’re getting into deep your mental health is not worth it and the detrimental aftermath it does to everybody else
So again I’d like to say goodbye to my mother. that part of my life is over thank God.
Danielle,
Such a beautiful thing to be vulnerable! I can relate on so many levels the grief a mother can bring. I also had a mother who was on hard drugs, cared more about herself than her own innocent child. It is such a loss for the one who cannot fulfill the duty placed onto their path. The strength this can give us, seeing the light is the…read more
Wow. What a great letter. Sorry you had it rough like that. What an unbelievable strength you have. To stay true to yourself and not let your guard down. I can’t imagine the courage it required to say goodbye like that. You seem like a really strong girl Danielle
‘Who’s worthy of respect?’ Asks the
Oh so gentle soul. ‘Me, perhaps?’
Replying tentatively, I question whether
The ‘me’ others see is laudable with my
Honesty, diplomatically voiced,
Yet still encases my faith, ethics, and friendship.
Offering an ear, a hug, a friend, a listener
Free of malice and judgment, that’s never a jeer.
Resounding devotion can never
End, as long as your true self reverberates
Soulfully within a frequency received by
Peers and kin who feel the same.
Enter into the ring to battle out the
Captivating desires leading you astray
To a world where your worth is bound by trends.
Respect is earned, respect is learned
I was not respected as a child, for a while
But have learned to endure and persevere through It all
I don’t know when to stop And that’s probably helped me along the way through my journey that I was given. Everyone is at Liberty to be respected as well as me. I’ve been writing since I was 11 about my trials and tribulations through this hype and mediocrity of life.
I’ve given my life to this world and hope I have inspired some. I’ve been there done that, that’s fact
I’ve saved a life, made a life and gave a life
I’ve caved in and stayed in throughout it all.
Everyone deserves to be respected and I finally acknowledged that I deserve it too.
I’m not a cocky person by any means but I believe I’m a good writer because I write from the heart and stay true to myself. I’m honest when I write And I hope it inspires others because you all inspire me!
Danielle, I was always told the best writing is writing that comes from the heart. I love this piece. It really shows how soft your heart is — even thought you have been through so much that could have easily hardened you. This is beautiful and you are beautiful. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of The Unsealed family. <3 Lauren
The night’s fading darkness
Is illuminated by filaments that glimmers
With piercing reddish hues
Into a horizon of fading darkened blues.
With each touch of brilliant, glinting light
The scenery is transformed, bright
As a white pigeon in heightened flight,
Soaring, like Icarus, too near the sun’s slight
Heat that tenderly caresses its feathery
Wings across all living things, bravely
Broaching the new day optimistically,
Knowing that man’s destruction will invariably
Alter the breathtaking beauty of sunrise,
Twisting its vibrancy into shades
Of tenebrous grey, colorless, and lifeless,
As everything becomes hopeless.
Let each new day be your oath
To be stronger than the sun’s breadth,
As you emulate its depth
Of strength, that reigns above all in stealth.
Malak, I love this part: Let each new day be your oath
To be stronger than the sun’s breadth,
As you emulate its depth
Of strength, that reigns above all in stealth.
Check out our newsletter today. I will feature a link to this poem.
Think outside not in,
Don’t worry it’s not a sin.
Make it a point to explore,
You’ll want nothing more than to endure
The scene will make you wary, and it might seem scary.
Push on and see what makes me, me
It’s the only way to learn how to discern,
And know your limit of concern.
Your in the zone and now your on your own.
Hi, Danielle. I really liked your poem. It was very heartfelt. Thanks for sending me a friend request. I appreciate it. I’m not on any like social media platforms, but if you ever want to talk, please email me at info@tracinealspeakerpoet.com
I mean it. I’m concerned about you with some of the post you wrote. Again, don’t hesitate to email me. No…read more
Thank you very much for your concern and reaching out I didn’t mean to worry anybody I just use writing as a form to get everything deep inside out thanks for accepting my friend request! And I will thank you again Traci!I appreciate you
My apologies for the late response. I respond to my emails more because I have a busy schedule, that’s why I told you if you ever need to talk please reach out that way. I monitor my email a lot more. I am glad you are well and writing is your outlet. I pray you continue to feel free to share your heart and never hesitate to ask for help when you…read more
Danielle! I love this poem. Short but sweet. Very direct but impactful and inspiring. I absolutely love it. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of our Unsealed family. <3 Lauren
Did you know the NFL’s Ryan Grant also participated in basketball and track and field during his time at Don Bosco Prep School in New Jersey? Did you know the NBA’s Adonal Foyle still holds the record in New York for most points in a high school tournament game? Did you know former Suffern High School girls’ lacrosse star Crysti Foote is a member of the Canadian National Team and is recognized as one of the best female players in the world? Inspired by the commitment and passion all great athletes demonstrate, I know both the technicalities of sports and interesting facts about the athletes themselves, which is why I believe if I become a reporter for MSG Varsity I will be a powerful conduit between the athletes and the tri-state community. I will ask questions the viewers want to know and receive honest answers from athletes who respect my knowledge.
My confidence in my future success is based on the achievements of my past as well as my present occupation. As a young 21-year-old college graduate, I began writing for NBA.com and WNBA.com. With my own swagger, I entered NBA and WNBA locker rooms to interview athletes double my size among journalists twice my age. Publishing hundreds of articles and blogs on NBA.com, WNBA.com, D-league.com, NikeWomen.com, and WomensProSoccer.com, I have also had my fair share of on-air opportunities. Currently, I am a co-host for On the Mike With Mike Sherman, a weekly entertainment, lifestyle, and sports show that airs on a CBS affiliate (My33) in South Florida. Last season, when the 49ers took on the Giants in New Jersey, I was there to interview athletes and report back on the night’s events for CBS’ San Francisco affiliate. I have reported local news on Long Island and worked as a sports reporter for Artsis Media, where I shot, edited, wrote, and produced all my own stories.
Throughout my tenure at Columbia University, I majored in sociology and focused on the sociological impact of sports. Through my 40-plus page senior thesis, I discovered that to have longevity and acceptance as a female sports reporter, you must be a sports connoisseur yourself. Voted biggest jock in my high school senior superlatives, I have lived, breathed, and loved sports throughout my life. I believe if given a chance I will be recognized and respected by the sports world for telling compelling stories and conducting in-depth thought-provoking interviews. In other words, I’m a talented young recruit with an All-American future and would love to help the MSG Varsity team work its way to the top of the game.
Wow that’s awesome! You wrote for the NBA and WNBA!!This letter is a huge inspiration because I want to do podcasting and interview sports players and artists.
The lion lays quietly atop an overhanging hill.
He waits, watches in the vain fervor that his prey
Will come to him in deadly night like a diet pill
That will stop his hunger and permit his teeth to stay
Sharp, glistening white, creating a shiver of fear
Of their ferocity and ability to tear apart an arm,
Or important extremities that flash their spear
Of speed trying to outrun the King.
The atmosphere of fear is so authentic
That I can feel the lion’s eyes shifting silently,
Watching guardedly, waiting patiently to pounce happily
On his unsuspecting prey. His jaws are cave like
In their imposing strength and force of bite.
This piece is so creative. You are so talented. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being part of our little family. Keep writing. You are changing the world. <3 Lauren