8/20/24

​As we transition into the new school year, I can’t help but notice the yard signs acknowledging students who graduated in the spring (from any number of grades, preschool through college) that still adorn many properties. 

Instead of just wasting these signs, please indulge me as I play with a HYPOTHETICAL idea of how they could be reused in a way that aims to connect many people, rather than just celebrate one individual. Given the climate of divisiveness we currently live in, this idea would also remind us all that we're really more similar than different. 

Since painful emotion actually binds people/hearts the most, my far-fetched idea is for owners of these yard signs to cover the original text and replace it with a statement about something the household is working through/suffering from. 

Admittedly, this idea sounds like a downer and is an awkward proposition that seemingly exposes “TMI.” Imagine though, if you’re walking or driving through your town and read that one household is dealing with a very ill family member; another is in the throes of a divorce; another neighbor just lost a cherished pet; another learned that they can’t conceive a baby; etc. 

Observing these hurts would ultimately be of great benefit because recognizing others’ suffering tends to make us feel less alone in our personal challenges, builds compassion, and may even motivate us to be kinder, all of which work to expand our capacity for caring. No one can refute that developing these attributes on a collective level, especially this fall, is worthwhile. 

Plus, the real reason why these signs are meaningful is because they help people meet a fundamental human need–to feel seen. On the remote chance that something like my idea materialized, I believe the potential for someone to feel TRULY seen–whether it was a passerby seeing the revised sign or a member of the household that displayed their difficult reality–is much more likely in this vulnerable version. 

Although I love this idea in theory, I am a realist and know that people would be hard pressed to divulge their suffering in such a public manner. Our culture tends to keep pain private, although we are improving in this area. 

One way I contribute to this effort is to create opportunities for people to share their difficult “stuff” in safe, supportive ways. The result of these experiences is always the same–when people share what they’re going through, they walk away feeling more alive, connected, and known. 

I’m all for celebrating individuals (graduates) as our growing yard sign culture purports. Simultaneously, since the above idea is untenable, I propose: 

When we take joy in displays of praise for an individual, (this applies to digital ones as well), we should also acknowledge that while we may not currently celebrate the same thing as our “neighbor,” we are probably deeply connected to them by some relatable suffering. 

Indeed, painful emotions are uncomfortable, but sharing in the pain is not a downer. Rather, it has the power to uplift.

Consider this post a sign that we should keep this truth in mind for this year, even as last year’s signs eventually get uprooted.