By ASH ANAND
As a little girl, my brother, who is eight years older, convinced me that it wasn’t Santa leaving presents each Christmas, but in fact, 1960’s easy listening legend, Engelbert Humperdinck, who was shimmying down chimneys across the world, bestowing gifts.
One Christmas Morning I woke excitedly to find a bag full of wrapped toys hanging from the back of my door. Had Engelbert really been? I marveled to myself. As I leapt out of bed to the bag, I saw all the proof my 3rd grader mind needed; scribbled on the bag were the words, “Love, Engelbert”. I was elated. Santa, my brother, Engelbert had been in my house! But how had the legendary crooner got in? We didn’t even have a chimney! My eight year old brain was baffled.
Of course, “It’s a secret!”, my brother stressed, “So don’t tell anyone,” he quickly added. So for longer than I care to divulge, I was convinced that if you were good all year round, Engelbert would have your back. That’s the thing with secrets – they’re incredibly powerful. Sometimes they’re harmless and entertaining (ahem. To brothers!); but stumbling across secrets has the ability to truly change lives and divulging secrets can radically alter perceptions people have of each other.
One man who has arguably heard his fair share of secrets is Washington DC resident, Frank Warren. In November 2004 Frank walked the streets of the city, clutching 3000 self-addressed blank postcards, handing them out to strangers. His request was simple: he wanted people to share a secret they’d never told before and mail it to him anonymously.