A few years ago, there were a lot of people writing really good essays on Medium. What I liked about the platform then was that things of no interest to an editor or established magazine could find their way here. The early Medium “publications” were kind of grass roots organizations. One, called “Those People” published this article (it has since been moved off Medium to their web site):

My Mother Was An Undertaker

Here is another story that was on Medium. It has also been moved off the platform:

A Season of Bread

The good news is, Lisa Renee is still sometimes here and she has a collection called The Long Middle that reminds me that MEDIUM IS NOT THE DESERT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN I OPEN IT UP.

The Long Middle - Medium

I think what you are writing is a cut above most of my feed. In the old days, you would have gotten a lot of recognition and feedback for the essays you’ve published. They would have been picked up by publications. Medium is a less rewarding platform now. Hopefully it is rewarding enough to keep you writing.