Letters to the Dead

I went to a talk tonight by Frank Warren of PostSecret.com. It touched me deeply to hear the people sitting nearby walk to the microphone with their deepest fears, their shame, their pride...the things we wouldn't know by sitting next to a stranger. I heard young Storm speak deep wisdom from her child-heart, old beyond her years and it moved me to tears. Frank has tapped something vital, something important and powerful with his project. He's tapped our vulnerability. He stumbled onto a way to create connections with our fellow humans and it is transformational. He made it ok to be weak or angry or fucked up. He told us we can be openly human and not be ashamed or alone. That's just it isn't it? We want to know that our darkest thoughts and fears are shared by someone, somewhere.

Towards the end, I was not thinking of my own secrets nor those of others. I was drafting words in my head to my friend Ricky who killed himself long ago. I heard myself telling that story and talking to him in a way I never allowed myself to since I found out he'd committed suicide.

On the way home I started talking to my Mum and telling her things, thinking of things she'd want to know now about my life. And it struck me.....we need to talk to the dead. So I'm starting with my letter to Ricky and after that my Mum. After that? I hope you have letters to share, stories to tell to your loved one's that have died. I want to know your own death-pain, your own longings or repulsion for people who were once connected in life to your journey.

Leave the names out if you wish. All of the letters will be typed out here and photographed and hopefully turned into a collage. So it begins......


Mail them to me, won't you?
289 Old Embreeville Road
Jonesborough, TN 37659