What is it, you ask? It's a "community art project" started by a guy named Frank Warren. Four years ago he invited people (strangers) to anonymously mail to him a handmade postcard with a secret that they've never told anyone. Since then, he's received something like 200 000 secrets. He posts new ones weekly on his website (the third most popular blog on the internet), and has published books of secrets (and I think I remember something about the proceeds going to support suicide hotlines).
Why would anyone send in a secret? To release it. To be known.
Why would anyone read other people's secrets? To know people. To know yourself.
There's a new PostSecret Myspace site as well, where Frank shares more secrets and also shares some of himself. His answers to people's questions. His struggles. I like seeing into the person who organized PostSecret. And I like it when we acknowledge what lies beneath the surface.
"Have the strength to be vulnerable," he says.
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This is the one that impacted me most this week:
Although it's sad, the postcard itself didn't initially really touch me deeply. But this response did:Erica Rocks!
I would be her bridesmaid. Totally. In fact, get back to me and we can become friends before he proposes.
Erica amazes me. She sees someone who needs friends, who needs a best friend, and she says, "I can help. I want to be your friend. Just because you need me." She sees a need and steps in. She offers friendship to someone without knowing anything about them, without knowing whether they're crazy, without knowing whether they're the kind of friend she wants to have. She just offers her friendship because they need it. That's unconditional, isn't it. That's beautiful. And that's a lot of confidence in yourself and your friendship skills. I'm admirous.
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