Sealed

This 22-minute piece explores divorce and its lingering effects. It is the same story told through four different voices and perspectives: my own and that of my three older siblings (David, Crys, and Derek). They all stayed with Dad, experiencing a fairly quick re-marriage and relocation in the midst of their high school years. I alone moved with Mom. 

Psychological research shows that there are a number of long-term effects that children of divorced parents experience, many of which are common across family circumstance. As such, the piece proves relatable and potentially cathartic for a wide-ranging listening audience. 

My primary content sources are long-form narrative interviews with each of my siblings, supplemented by audio from old cassette tapes and conversations with my parents. Audio-only work provides an intimacy especially suited for this topic as listeners can internalize whatever image best suits their own schema—allowing for deeper connection and identification. 

Sealing: An ordinance performed in the temple eternally uniting a husband and wife, or children and their parents
Glossary, www.mormon.org