"i am these people"

Blogger recently had a link to PostSecret in their "blogs of note" section. I checked it out. It's AMAZING. The basic idea is that people are asked to submit a homemade postcard revealing a secret. The "homemade" stipulation is supposed to weed out those who are more interested in the novelty of the site than in the therapeutic value, I think. Actually, I'm not sure the site's creators had therapeutic value in mind when they started it. But clearly that's what it has become: real catharsis, a chance to reveal truths tucked away in a deep recess of the heart without fear of consequences or humiliation. The value of each postcard, as I see it, is to either a) make the writer and/or the reader feel better or b) that, plus give the reader a glimpse into the universal human condition. I admit that some of the "a"-category secrets made me feel a little judgmental (which is exactly why this forum for "getting it off your chest without anyone knowing that it's *your* chest" is so crucial--what I think is irrelevant). The ones that fall into the "b" category achieve what I consider to be the power of a truly great book or piece of music--they affect your way of thinking about yourself and others. (Maybe this is just me--but I do think that it's through sharing negative emotions like vulnerability, anger, grief or disappointment that we feel closer to others.) I was struck by how much real pain, suffering and heartbreak exist among the more minor revelations (e.g. Tivo-ing over the Pope's funeral with an episode of "Survivor"). It's impossible not to be moved by the card with all the superfluous stamps, which went to PostSecret because the sender had spent his or her whole life waiting in vain for someone else to send them to. Or the card from someone who started doing speed to try to force a relationship forward and ended up with alone and addicted.

The comments at the bottom are equally enlightening. A few writers took issue with the whole premise of the site (notably one who argued that only God can grant real freedom from shame and guilt), but virtually everyone else commented on how reading other people's secrets lifted the weight of their own, or on how the cards reveal that certain struggles are universal (or at least much more widely shared than one would guess), making them feel less alone. One person observed, "I am these people." Another said, "You saved my life." When I see something like that, I almost think this site should be required reading for grownups. Highly recommended. And hugs to everyone who had the courage to write.

PS Also see Found Magazine for a more in-depth, less consistently painful "analog" version of PostSecret.