Dear, Unsealers:

I know, I’m a day behind as it’s the second day of February.

But it’s time to welcome in February all the same. After a whirlwind December and a long, drawn-out January.

This is the shortest month on the calendar. Twenty-eight days. Here’s hoping this month isn’t nearly as eventful as the last one was.

With that being said, it’s time to welcome in the new month…

Welcome, February!

After the longest January imaginable
The shortest month of the year opens the door

Twenty-eight new days ahead
Days of love, kindness, and compassion abound
Honoring the saints, Brigid of Kildare and Valentine

Of reminding ourselves
We’re in this world together
Through all of the twists and turns that come along

Days of finding voices and verses
With the Poetic Summer fast approaching

Even if the weather outside still reminds us of winter
There’s hope of brighter days coming our way

A blank canvas for the month ahead
One that goes by in the blink of an eye

Dear Unsealers,

As I write this post, it’s 5:45 AM on January 1st. Daybreak hasn’t happened yet.

But the smoke has cleared from last night’s celebrations, and blue skies appear.

I hope that 2025 is a good year for all of us. A year that’s filled with all the joys and minimal difficulties.

To that end, this is my welcome to January and the year itself:

At midnight on New Year’s Eve
A new day, month, and year begin

365 new days have arrived
With renewed optimism and joy

A reminder for 2025 and beyond…

Every day is a wonder to behold
Be the light that spreads out into the world

Wherever your pursuits lead
I’m cheering you on all the way

For the days of Auld Lang Syne
A toast, with all the cups of kindness yet

I wish everyone, everywhere
A Happy New Year!

Dear Unsealers,

It’s Christmas Eve!

December has gone by so fast. It felt like it was five minutes since I was celebrating my birthday at the very start of the month.

Now, we’ve reached the conclusion of Advent and head into the twelve days of Christmas.

I hope that wherever you’re celebrating the holiday, it’s done in the company of people that you love. With an extra moments of arms held aloft for those that find this time of year difficult to celebrate.

For those of you that celebrate this day, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

The following is my Christmas message for this year:

Time went by so fast, didn’t it?
December came in and went like a jingled blur

After twenty four days wait
A celebration of the savior’s birth

As the bells ring out, people gather
Friends, family and loved ones

For it’s Christmas Day at last
With love and kindness towards all

Wherever you are in the world
I wish for you all the peace today

Said many times in many ways
From me to you, from NYC to the world…

Merry Christmas!
¡Feliz Navidad!

Joyeux Noël!
Frohe Weihnachten!

Nollaig Shona!
Feliz Natal!

Buon Natale!
Καλά Χριστούγεννα

Sretan Božić!
Bon Nadal!

Dear Unsealers,

It’s the second day of December. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I had an extra reason to celebrate this weekend, as it was my sister & I’s 39th birthday yesterday. From all the well wishes, to afternoon tea at the Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca, it was an overwhelming day filled with joy.

With the birthday celebrations completed, it’s time to properly welcome in the month of December. Mother Nature signaled the change in month as it’s freezing cold here in NYC.

I can’t believe that we’ve reached the last month of 2024 already.
It’s time to close out the year on a high note.

Now, for the welcome to the month of December…

Welcome to December
It’s time for the last shout!

Thirty-one days left in 2024
The magic of the holidays arrives

Birthdays, Hanukkah, Christmas & New Year’s
Times celebrated in good company

Fall will become winter on the 21st
Daylight will slowly, surely return

A time to reflect on where we are
And where we want to be next year

There’s melancholy flipping the last page of the calendar
Wondering, “where did the time go?!”

Let’s make the most of these days
2025 is on the horizon

Dear Unsealers…

It’s November 1st. It’s surreal as it’s seventy degrees outside right now.

Sixty days are left in 2024. This month is an eventful one, from Election Day, all the way down to Thanksgiving.

Though it doesn’t feel like November, I wrote my welcome to this month anyway.

Remember, remeber the month of November

60 days left to go in 2024
This month has arrived through the spooky door

Honoring saints, the dearly departed and veterans
A time to give thanks for what we have
And to set the path for the next four years

With the last 30 day month here and now
The clock ticks down, the last days of 38
39 is fast approaching

With Croatia and A Poetic Journey in the distance
It’s time plot a forward course

As there’s time to remember, remember
Before the month of November, gives way

To the year end’s mad dash, known as December

Dear Unsealers,

When I was a little girl, my grandfather bounced me on his knee and sang “Three Little Fishes” as I giggled through the song. All he ever wanted was for me to feel joy in life. He died when I was 13. It was my first experience with overwhelming grief, and I was devastated. I coped by leaning into the idea that my grandfather was watching over me and cheering me on in all my pursuits.

He used to tell me that the rain was good luck. So, whenever it rained during big moments of my life, I believed it was my grandfather signaling to me, “Don’t worry, I am here.” It rained at my high school graduation. It rained when I scored big goals in soccer. It rained when I interviewed for my dream job as a sports anchor. It poured the day I was offered that job, which happened to be my late grandfather’s birthday. It seemed like it was always raining on the most important days of my life, which only cemented my belief that my grandfather was watching out for me.

However, on November 30, 2022, it was a clear night in Miami — not a cloud in the sky. I decided to attend a networking event for people in Miami who work in technology. There, I made eye contact with this tall, handsome man. He started talking to me, and after telling him about my company, The Unsealed, he told me that he had founded an online company when he was younger. He said his site received 20,000 organic hits daily (that’s a lot). And so, I started asking many questions — it was rapid-fire, one after the other. At some point, he stopped me and said, “Do you want to continue this conversation over tacos?” And so, we left and ate Mexican street corn and tacos on a picnic table outside a restaurant that doubles as a speakeasy.

It didn’t take me long to realize that this man was kind, intelligent, classy, funny, and thoughtful. From that day forward, we started spending a lot of time together: dinners, events, and even weekend trips. As I opened up to him about my past and my pain, he listened closely. He asked questions, and he never judged me. One time, we were watching a movie, and I had a flashback from my sexual assault. I put the pillow over my head and asked him to change the channel quickly. He turned off the TV, and as my eyes started to well up with tears, he said, “Come here, let me hold you.” When I shared my fears and insecurities about building a company, he said, “Lauren, think of the ten smartest people you’ve ever encountered, and I promise you at least nine of them couldn’t do what you’ve done.” To this day, he always follows through when he makes a promise to me, whether it be a trip to a foreign place or to my favorite restaurant. From the beginning, he has known when I am happy, anxious, frustrated, or hungry — just by the look on my face — and has responded accordingly. He is so in tune with who I am and how I feel that it seems as though my peace is his priority.

Even so, early in our relationship, I was afraid to trust the authenticity of his love. I had been disappointed so many times in love and relationships, and I was on edge, just waiting for the shoe to drop — just waiting for something to go wrong. I couldn’t live in the moment as I was too afraid it would soon end. One night, he was on his computer while I was resting on his couch, and I randomly asked him what his name meant in his culture. He was in the middle of working and responded, “I don’t know — something with water.” So I googled it. His name translates as “the God of rain.”

In disbelief, that was the moment I began to let myself love and be loved. That was the moment I started to trust my partner and the universe. It was the reassurance I needed to know I was safe. About a year later, he proposed to me on the boardwalk at Disney World. We are getting married in a few months, and I am so excited. Falling in love has enriched my life and made the present moment so special, so much so that it has made me believe that magic exists in all of our lives.
For years, the rain was a way for me to stay connected to the joy my grandfather brought me, but now, it’s what allowed me to embrace the joy right before me.

With immense hope and gratitude,

Dear Janice Burgess,
I hope this letter finds its way to you in heaven. I meant to release these words months ago, but events during the summer made me lose sight of them until today. So, please forgive my lateness.

Since you passed away in March, several talented people have also left this earth, such as Rico Wade, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Dikembe Mutombo, and, recently, John Amos.

It saddened me that it wasn’t until the news of your passing that I learned that you were the one who created the cute cartoon show The Backyardigans.

I was entering my 20s and living with my oldest sister and niece in Maryland when I discovered your show. My niece and I enjoyed another kid’s show called The Wonder Pets. It took a little while for me to get into that show, but once I did, I wanted it to the point where I believed I enjoyed it as much as my niece did.

It was a blast watching the three main characters in The Wonder Pets have adventures and talk to other animals in their world.

Once I was eager to watch The Wonder Pets, I noticed your show, The Backyardigans, would come on before The Pets. It looked interesting, but I wondered if I would like it as much as The Wonder Pets. I’m so glad I was wrong about that.
Slowly but surely, my niece and I would start watching The Backyardigans as much as The Wonder Pets.
Listening to the theme song of The Backyardigans was always a great way to start the day when I was babysitting my niece. It was also fun to see what the main characters were up to in the episodes we watched together.

Watching my niece light up when your show and The Wonder Pets came on TV made me light up. I saw how happy you made her. She’s 16 now , which is mind-blowing to me. But I’ll never forget those times I had with her watching your show and The Wonder Pets early in the morning.

So thank you, Ms. Burgess, for creating a show that gave me memories with my niece and all the other work you’ve done. Just from looking at some of your photos online, you looked like a sweet person who gave other people joy.
 Rest in power.

Sincerely,
Gerald

Dear Unsealers,

It’s the first day of October.

Where has the time gone?!

The leaves are falling off the trees and changing colors. There’s a bit of a chill in the air and the sun is setting earlier with each day that goes by.

By the end of this week, we’ll be less than ninety days away from ending 2024.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

As is customary, I’ve written a welcome for the new month…

A welcome to October
31 days ushering in the last quarter of 2024

This month sees the first leg of the Poetic Journey come to fruition
As it’s no longer an idea on the wall
I can finally hold the book in my hands
Knowing that there’s more in store

A month where I cross the Atlantic
Hrvatska calls my name
To soak up the Adriatic over ten busy days

Even if there’s still hints of warmth
The leaves are changing as Autumn begins
Soon, the chill will add to the new season

There are no scaries to be found here
At least not until All Hallows Eve