Several years ago now, I started a blog. At the time, I really wasn’t all that sure about what I wanted to say. I just knew that I had things to say. Things I needed to share. I wrote posts sporadically, either when I really felt compelled to share something, or when I just felt like I needed to post SOMETHING, anything, to feel like I was moving forward.
As time went on I started documenting things in my life. Things I saw. Things I experienced. Breakthroughs that I had. Thoughts that God laid on my heart. Piece by piece I laid the bricks of my life out. Struggles that I walked through. Encouragement to others who were struggling along those same types of paths. Layer by layer building upon the foundation, increasing the breadth and depth. Little by little, day by day, the foundation grew. I didn’t even know what I was building. I just knew that God had placed a calling on my life that I couldn’t explain or even fully understand. I just knew I had to keep moving forward.
About a year ago something changed. I couldn’t even tell you what. Only that something did. I took my blog and gave it a new name and a facelift. I changed its address to melseeley.com and I determined that no longer would it get sporadic updates. The list of posts began to grow. Part of me wants to say I refined my niche, but I’m not sure that’s what actually happened. I think the most accurate way to say it would be to say that I began to grow into my voice.
The next step I took was starting a YouTube channel. That didn’t really go anywhere at first. I kept looking for the perfect moments to record. Moments when I felt like I had energy and motivation. I recorded three videos. Then the channel say there seemingly abandoned, for about six months. During which time I realized something. I didn’t need to wait for the perfect timing. In fact, that I shouldn’t wait for the perfect timing. That I just needed to show up and hit record. That is when the channel Mel’s Diary:Unscipted was really born. I started doing videos about things in my life. Videos about living with chronic illness. Videos on decluttering and how chronic illness makes that process even more challenging. Videos on struggles in relationships and grief and a couple on being a writer. That channel now has 36 long form videos, 69 short form videos and 50 subscribers. Modest yes, but slowly growing.
Then, a few months ago, something unexpected happened. I had been struggling with writing letters to my son away from home that were interesting and fun. How many times can you really say, ‘Well, um, nothing much happened this week. Just same ole, same ole.’ Talk about a snooze. But then, a chance comment, a faint memory and a God who will make a way in the most unexpected of places, and suddenly, I was overflowing with inspiration. That is when The Invisible Friends Chronicles was born. Not only did I find a way to write letters to my son, but I also found a world that I didn’t even know was living inside of me. One that quickly claimed a place on my website. (At least point it began to feel like it was quickly outgrowing the title of blog.)
The Inkwell was the home base on my website for all of my fiction writing to live. The Invisible Friends Chronicle’s grew its own special place within The Inkwell; The Whispering Inkwell. The home of The Author & Crew, as well as the home base of the Invisible Friends. Within the Whispering Inkwell, the world has continued to grow as The Author’s Journals joined the line up. Then Frank’s personality spilled over onto his own page-Frank’s Chronicles.
Before I knew it, the Invisible Friends wanted even more. And got it. In the form of a podcast-The Invisible Friends Chronicles. Where I attempt to read their letters in their ‘voices’. Mel’s Diary:Unscripted also grew into a podcast. Meant to bridge the gap between the topics on the website and Mel’s Diary:Unscripted YouTube channel.
Even with an entire corner on my website dedicated to them, it still wasn’t enough. The Invisible Friends personalities and voices became louder and clearer. Their personalities overflowing wherever I looked. Especially Frank. Before I knew it, I agreed to compile their voices, their thoughts and adventures together into a book.
So now I have a 168 page work in progress manuscript compiling all of the letters to The Entertainer. It will also include the birth of The Invisible Friends Chronicles, as well as the images, the postcards, and notes, as well as some new added commentary along the way.
But, was that enough for the Invisible Friends? To tell you the truth, I’m not really counting on it. Especially if Frank has anything to say about it.
Looking back to when I wrote that very first post, I thought that I was building a blog. Now, I don’t think that was ever the case. Looking back, I think that I was laying the foundation for something much bigger and different than I would have ever expect.
I don’t know exactly where God is taking me as my journey continues. I don’t know what lays ahead. Who knows what adventures The Invisible Friends might have in store? Or what other worlds might be lurking around inside my mind? What I do know is that 200 posts ago, God simply asked me to start laying bricks for this foundation.
Today I am starting to see a part of that foundation slowly rise above the ground and become visible. I may not know the entire floor plan or what the building is going to look like. But that’s ok. Because God has a plan and He knows. He knows every brick, every bit of mortar. He knows where every wall is going to sit and what an amazing view it is going to have. And for today, that’s enough for me.
Image created by Mel Seeley in collaboration with ChatGPT
Leave a Reply