Every Picture Tells a Story – Roadtrip Edition

I’ve heard so much positive feedback from readers about the origin story of my  Tomorrow Starts with Yes postcard. Since I’m knee deep in the final printing of the newest card updates, and (like many of you) enjoying summer roadtrips, I thought it would be fun to share more about cards that tell stories from the road.

I created the Pick-a-Postcard kit over eighteen years ago as a curated set of metaphoric images to spark reflection, vision setting, journaling, and group dialogue.

People often find it easier to express themselves through a picture. The ideas and connections inspired by the imagery lead to broader and deeper reflection sessions than when using dialogue alone.

As years passed, I’ve used more of my own photos and developed a second set of “Everwhere-a-Sign” cards. In this latest edition of both sets, all of the cards are my original photographs. With an eye for sparking reflection, I’ve captured serendipitous moments on the road and intentionally composed scenes using elements of nostalgia and history.

I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to travel around the world working with educators and facilitators from a wide range of settings. When I travel, I love taking time to delve into the places I visit –walking neighborhoods, historic sites, and natural areas. I come across many moments of serendipity and beauty during my travels. Many of the cards in both postcard sets capture these inspiring moments on the road.

Receiving— one of the newest cards in the Everywhere-a-Sign kit

This spring I visited Indianapolis to facilitate a workshop for educators and prevention coalition staff. I have family roots in Indiana, so I took some time to explore the places my family lived. I flew into Indianapolis and as I often do, found a bed and breakfast in a historic neighborhood.

As I walked the neighborhood in search of dinner, I came across an Art Deco dream — the former 1920s era Coca-Cola bottling plant now known as the Bottleworks district, a center for commerce history and the arts. Art Deco is one of my favorite design styles, and I was enthralled by the stone carving throughout the building and the stunning former bottling plant tasting room with its stained glass windows and handmade tiles– now a hotel lobby. As I walked out, I passed the loading docks and this Receiving sign. It made me think of all of the gifts I have received in the way of connections and experiences.

Welcome to our Family Home, historic Lafayette, Indiana— a postcard from the Pick-a-Postcard kit

Speaking of Indiana and family history… This photo came from my grandparents’ house, but not when they lived in it! Decades after they were gone, on another road trip to Indiana, I became friends with the current owners. In 2019, I was facilitating a workshop for educators in West Lafayette and visiting Purdue University where three generations of my family attended college. I made a point of driving past my grandparents’ former home where I had many childhood memories of family holidays, the back stairway to the kitchen where my grandmother cooked noodles on her antique stove, the red-glass eyelash window that fascinated my sister and I when we were kids, and other fun aspects of an old Victorian house. As I walked by taking photos of the house, the owner came out and introduced herself. When I told her my grandparents had lived there, she invited me in– and this photo was captured that day.

On a subsequent trip she and her husband took me out for dinner, and we have remained friends ever since. Last spring they invited me to dinner at the house– it was moving to sit and eat in my grandparents’ dining room decades after they passed. I’ve found and shared several old family photos and historical items from the house, but this ornate doorknob is one of my favorites.

Ootori Shrine and Tori-no-Ichi Festival Grounds, Tokyo —from the Pick-a-Postcard kit

Of all the places I get to travel for work, my trips to Japan hold a special place in my heart. The friends I’ve made and stayed in touch with since my first trip in 2011 are some of my most valued friendships. I am always impressed by the warm hospitality of people I meet and the care taken in everyday objects, food, rituals, and human connections. I am fascinated by Japanese art, crafts, cultural heritage and history, and I always try to stay in historic neighborhoods and traditional inns, or Ryokan.

On my last trip to Tokyo, I stayed in Asakusa, an area rich with history. On a walk around the neighborhood, I passed by the entrance to the Tori-no-Ichi open air market and festival grounds, which was decorated with a large colorful bamboo rake, or kumade. I was taken by this beautiful art and learned that the kumade are part of the yearly festival that has taken place on this site for centuries on days that the lunar calendar designates as days of the rooster. This festival celebrates good health, good fortune and good business. The kumade or “bear paw” rakes are adorned with various lucky symbols– such as golden coins and rice bales for a rich harvest– and are believed to “rake in” good fortune and prosperity. In this photo you can see an Okame or “Lucky Laugh” mask, representing joy, playfulness, and longevity. The image reminds me of all the good fortune I’ve experienced in Japan and the importance of intention and celebration.

I’m thrilled to be heading back to Japan next month for two workshops in Tokyo. I can’t wait for more exploration of culture and moments of friendship and serendipity on the road.

I hope these stories inspire you to think about the power of metaphor and the ways you celebrate a sense of place. There are 100 stories that go with the 100 original photos across my two postcard sets, and the latest cards are rolling out in the coming weeks. For those of you who already have a set, please email me to add these to your existing kits. Or, use the code STORIES to purchase either set of postcards. They are also offered as a bundle.