I enjoy going into the bookstore and tearing the last pages out of novels.
I feel most alive when everything around me is dying.
My dog winks at me sometimes. I always wink back in case it’s some sort of code.
These are not my statements. They come from the Web site PostSecret, “an ongoing community art project” where people mail in their secrets anonymously on a postcard. The secrets, posted every Sunday, range from cute cheek-reddening statements to brutally honest realities.
The visual and written components of the Web site are connected seamlessly. I commend Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret, for establishing a place where people respect each other and do not judge others, regardless what they say. However, I don’t think enough people know about the beauty of this project.
When I visit the site, I’m moved by its sheer candor and honesty of the posts. Posted replies reassure me the feelings of the writers are universal. By allowing people to send in secrets anonymously, those hesitant to speak out are given an opportunity that would otherwise be unavailable. Many of these postcards illustrate the desire for a voice, as well as the relief in finding you are not alone in your fears. I often find myself reading a secret and not realizing how true it is for me, until that moment I save one that is particularly moving, or that I can relate to. It helps to know others feel exactly the same way I do.
I particularly like the expectations for cards that are sent in. Not only are the secrets insightful, they generally have a creative design and a style to the writing. Still, part of the pull of the site is that it doesn’t fit into any one category. There is no way to pigeonhole the style of the postcards into merely one or two types, because every kind of person you could imagine has sent in a secret. They go there to connect, share stories, and receive support on the way to feeling content, whole and secure. My favorite weeks on the Web site are when there is a theme to the postcards chosen, however hidden it may be.
Frank Warren also travels across the country giving Event Tours, which allows him to describe the importance of truth and allows others to share their own secrets. If Warren were ever to visit our campus, I believe others would be able to see the impact the site has had. Once a secret has been spoken, it ceases to be a secret any longer. I would like to leave you with a secret of my own, but I honestly don’t have anything that interesting or revealing. Instead I invite you to put your secret on a postcard and send it in to PostSecret.
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