Just some links and some stories, my favorite things!

Since this is my blog and it's dedicated to sharing my wins, fails, weirdness, oddities and endearing qualities for all to know, I have decided to share a few of my all time favorite things.

The inspiration for this post today was brought upon by finally receiving my Post Secret and Other People's Love Letters books!  Ever since I was a young girl, I have always been curious in other peoples' stories.  I often wonder what makes them tick or why they do certain things.  When I meet someone, I often am fascinated by what their lives were like, are like and what secrets they hold because it shapes them in one way or another. I don't ask because that's impolite but I consider myself the luckiest person in the world if someone decides to share.  Part of sharing secrets is the bond and trust you develop with one another.  But be wary with whom you share with....not everyone sees these as priceless mementos and tokens of a relationship.

I don't remember when I first discovered Post Secret but I have been obsessed ever since.  It started out as an art project.  A man by the name of Frank Warren handed out blank post cards with simple instructions to creatively share a secret with a return address to his personal place of residence.  It took off and every since Sunday he posts a small collection of secrets that were sent into him.  Every Saturday night (meaning the early hours of 4-6 a.m Sunday morning) when I would come home from work, it didn't matter how utterly exhausted I was, I would check Post Secret Sunday.  I knew it would be there in the mornings but I had a compulsion to check because it brought me so much joy. The secrets could be from any one of us.  Your neighbor, your mother....even your significant other and you wouldn't even know. That's the beauty of them.  It makes you feel less alone and unites us in the fact that we all have our secrets.  

Dear Old Love by Andy Selsberg came to me as a recommendation from Amazon.  It was only 5 or 6 bucks and it had high ratings so I decided to give it a go.  I didn't realize it would change the way I have viewed every relationship I have ever had.  Everyone has that one thing they would like to say to someone they used to love.  After reading the book, I felt like weight was lifted off of my shoulders.  I knew I wasn't alone in feeling saddened by the loss of my relationship.  It made me feel better in knowing that someone else out there was feeling like it wasn't over because certain things were left unsaid.  I have never personally submitted to Dear Old Love but if I did...I would say  "I detest everything you are, everything about you. You're a selfish asshole and I hope you break your arm in a few different places.  But thank you for treating me like shit because I now know what it's like to be loved and appreciated by a real man."  

Back when in my administrative days (before I realized I was better at telling people to eff off than being at beck and call), I was fortunate enough to finish my workload within the first 2-3 hours of work on most days.  That's a lot of hours with not enough fingers to count, left for various things..  That left me with ample time to scour the ends of the interwebs and stumble upon my oldest and favorite gem Found Magazine.  Maybe this is where the obsession started.  Found Magazine is a plethora of items found in various places.  Love notes, photos, grocery lists and everything else on this site was once previously loved, cared for, purposely tossed aside, accidentally forgotten or just plain ignored and then found by some unsuspecting person. So many intriguing things, I would read until I felt my eyes were bleeding.  I even found a book list that I was so curious about, I printed it and set out to read every book on the list.  I read most of them and still have the list around somewhere.  I can't bring myself to throw it away because it's unfinished and even when it is finished, will I want to throw it out?  It's odd that such a small thing made such a profound impact on my life.  

I have been nose deep in Post Secret all night so I haven't read Other People's Love Letters.  It's like Christmas, knowing that I have all day tomorrow during this upcoming storm to soak it all in.  

It's so astonishing that seemingly simple ideas have established a revolution.  Then again, that's how most revolutions start, don't they?  The men, women and people who had the courage to submit to the aforementioned websites and books have brought people from all over the world, together by encouraging them to share bits and pieces of their lives.  It proves that there is someone out there, who understands and makes you realize that you are not alone.  It's an invisible support system for you to lean on and learn from.  

I can only dream of one day starting such a revolution that helps millions....even if it's a small gesture as asking for a secret or paying someone a compliment.

That's all.
Riley Writes