Shhh...I've got a secret

Program for Post Secret, The Show

Around 2005, Frank Warren  asked people to anonymously mail in their secrets to his home address on a postcard for an art project. What happened afterwards was a phenomenon that connected strangers from around the world....and even best friends who didn't realize they were strangers.

I was invited by my blogging pal, Tamara, to the live performance of "Post Secret: The Show" at The Booth Playhouse in the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, on Sunday. I didn't know what to expect. I was intrigued. On the walk in, there was a table with postcards imploring you to drop in a mailbox one or two of your secrets.

Everyone has secrets. Family secrets, best friend secrets, life secrets...The secrets shared in the play ranged from funny to tragic to hopeful. Real secrets shared by anonymous strangers were given voice by the actors on stage. There were many who felt hopeless, yet found hope within the post secret community. 

It's funny, when people tell you confidential information, it always starts with "Can you keep a secret?" Then there are the "Don't tell anyone, I told you, but..." Nine times out of ten, those types of secrets become fodder for gossip. 

But then there are the secrets that hold you in a place of shame, guilt or depression. The secrets that keep you locked in a traumatic place that you cannot live out of. I often hear those secrets from people, either through my work as an attorney or through writing the relationship column. Sometimes secrets are a burden that you should not hold onto. You have to choose between the harmless secrets you keep, and the damaging secrets that keep you.

There is a difference.

I wanted to tell you some of the secrets...but I tend to be a pretty good secret keeper. Or at least, I maintain the anonymity of the secret teller. I feel that releasing some secrets is empowering. It can be a gateway to help and healing. Somethings just are not meant to burden you so.

Other things are not always for you to tell. Like the secrets of those who trust you. Unless that secret puts them in harms way...then you help them find help.

It was amazing to hear some of the secrets there and that they were repeated over and over again...with different voices. The resounding message was: You Are Not Alone. There are people in this world who have experienced the same things you have in different spaces in time. So you are not alone. You are not weird. You are not odd. You are just you.

I must say I was disturbed by some of the secrets, like someone's married lover wanting to kill his wife, but the whole purpose was to just listen without judgment. So I listened...but wanted to call the po-po! :) lol

It was a good show...so definitely check it out!