Welcome PostSecret Community!

I want to welcome visitors from the PostSecret community. I've posted about that amazing blog before. Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret put me on the Hopeline Blogroll since I posted the video about Hopeline below. Now I don't do tracking (don't know how) and I have no clue how many visitors I get, but I do know I've gotten visitors through that link, so welcome!

People's hearts are wrapped up in their secrets. For some people, letting a secret out is liberating. For some, knowing someone else has the same secret is comforting--we're not alone in our life's experiences.

Maybe the wondrous thing about sharing a secret is knowing you'll still be lovable. Maybe it's knowing that you really do have the power to change (thoughts, feelings, actions) or that it's OK to cry, or that it's OK to laugh.

Mostly I think it's about letting light into the darkest places, letting go, connecting, healing, and rising. That's my mission: to let light into lives, to inspire, and to empower people. I hope you will explore and find a little tidbit that will lift your day while you're here. I'd love to hear from you!

Love and blessings,
Laya

Thanks to ronnieb and morguefile.com for the wonderful photo

Suicide

II regularly visit a blog called PostSecret (www.postsecret.blogspot.com). I'm often touched by this international art project where people tell their secrets. Maybe people find hope that they are not alone. Sometimes people feel so alone, like they're the only one dealing with something. Sometimes people just have some funny secret to share. The post card above is one that I found especially hopeful and touching and so I wanted to share it with you. Below is the email comment that was received about that card. I really wanted to share that too.

-----Email Message-----
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2007 9:58 PM
Subject: july suicide

five years ago i tried killing myself
since then my view of life has changed so much
i've learned to embrace every moment
thinking, "and i would have missed out on this"

Blessing of the day: May you find moments in each and every day that you can be grateful.

Love,
Aunt Laya

Do you want to know a secret?

Your secret is your prisoner; if you reveal it, you will become its prisoner.
(Mivchar HaPenimim 29:6)

I recently saw this quote on another blog.

The next time I went blog-hopping, I found this: http://www.postsecret.blogspot.com/
The (not G rated) art blog where people send in post cards sharing their secret. There can be healing when people know that everyone else has a secret, private place with thoughts they don't want to share with anyone else. PostSecret blog is the place where people can keep their secret "prisoner" and let it out all at the same time.

Another reason I wanted to post the link to PostSecret is because there is link to Hope Line (http://www.hopeline.com/) for people who are thinking about trying to end their pain through suicide. Maybe if people know what other people are holding inside they won't feel as alone. Maybe if people will call 1-800-Suicide (784-2433) they will also know that they are not alone. There are real ways to step out of pain, and there are guides to help you find the way.

Sometimes it's a good thing to share a secret. When my friend told me she had cancer, I could do more for her. Sometimes it's not good to share a secret. Like the quote above, things can come back to hurt you. There are safe places to share secrets and get help. There are lots of wonderful resources. There are lots of people in this world who want to be there for someone in need.

In searching for places that I could connect, share links, network for my own book (which I hope can be a friend to people), I was in awe after just an hour of looking around at just how many wonderful websites there are that reach out to teens and everyone.

Advice for the day: If you need a hand, reach out and ask for help. There will be someone there reaching back.

Blessing for the day: May you always feel the warmth from the Spark of Creation that lives within you.