Can you keep a secret?

Yeah, it's a lame title. Doesn't resonate with me as much as my others do. Or maybe it does.

There's a man named Frank who asked people to mail them their secrets. Three years later his blog has over 122,000,000 hits (much more after tonight) and he's written three books with them. And every Sunday he publishes a dozen or so more new ones in his blog. The only condition is that it be a secret that the sender hasn't told anyone else, ever. It's called Post Secret. I thought more people knew about it, but I was talking to Kayla about it and she hadn't heard of it, so it may not be as widely known as I had originally thought. But apparently Car and Erica are also avid Post Secret followers.

To be blunt, I love this site. It's one of my internet addictions (along with Facebook, I-Am-Bored.com, and Myspace). And now, ladies and gents, the driving question. Why?

Why do I read them? Easy answer: to feel less alone. But that's so generic and boring. That's why anyone would read them. Not why I would read them.

I read them because I feel like I'm getting free access into someone's soul. Someone, somewhere, is opening up and letting me see a glimpse of who they are and some of their skeletons hiding in their closet. Their dirty laundry. It's like listening in on someone's confession. Total taboo, but at the same time, so tempting. At least with this you've got their permission, so it's ok.

It's like discovering a song by your favorite band (Blue October, "Razorblade"). It's like digging into that brand new book in that series you're following (Harry Potter, anyone?). Or when after Christmas vacation and writers strikes you get a new episode of your TV series (House!). It's like coming up for a new idea for that novel brewing in your head (The name of my heroine). Like the high you get when playing with your fellow musicians (I've written already on that idea).

The whole this is like a drug. So addicting, we just have to know what's next. You need your next high, your next fix. Although, I've never done drugs, so I should probably pick a different metaphor.

Well, my dears, I read because it brings company, I read because I'm a bit morbid and twisted, because it helps me feel more okay with myself and my own Post Secrets.

I read because I need that human element to survive.
Because it distracts me from that drunken cacophony outside my door in that scary world out there.
Because I get a glimpse of the state of society.
Because, when I come back later in the week, I see people helping strangers and lending a hand to the needy in the responses to the Post Secrets. A despairing woman expressed her feelings on a postcard of a train station. Another person asked to meet her there on Feb. 6 at 6pm, that he/she would be wearing a blue coat and that he/she was doing it to let her know she's not alone. Creepy? Most would think so. Me being the naturally gullible/trusting type, I find it beautiful.

So, while I munch on burnt popcorn, go check it out yourself.

www.postsecret.com