Tomorrow Starts With “Yes” The Story of One of My Most Loved Metaphor Cards

A message of hope and inspiration, a fun origin story– and it turns out, artistic collaboration, lasting love, serendipity, and a celebration of Motor City.

As many readers know, my Pick-a-Postcard metaphor card kit has featured many of my photos taken in moments during my workshop travels over the years. The newest release coming in June will be entirely my own photos, with additions ranging from a clipper ship in Maine to street musicians in New Orleans.

One of my favorite photos in the kit is a beautiful mural I captured in Detroit in 2016 after wrapping up a workshop with the fantastic group of facilitators at Teen Hype– a youth empowerment organization and launching pad helping young people develop essential life skills during their most formative years.

I walked along the  the Duquindre Cut Greenway– a former railroad line turned into a recreational path linking the riverfront, Easter Market, and several neighborhoods. I had heard from my workshop team that it was a lovely walk and well-known for its examples of urban artwork and murals.

On my walk, I came across the mural by the artist Antonio Agee, a.k.a. Shades–a respected Detroit native, renowned pioneer of graffiti art, and one of the first documented graffiti artists in the city. I was inspired by the hopeful message and bright colors. I captured a photo memorializing an uplifting day in Detroit and a new addition to my Pick-a-Postcard kit. It has become one of my favorite images in the kit– a message of positivity and hope for the future.

A few years after receiving the card, I received an email telling me the story behind it, which made it all the more special.

Hi Jen,
I’m reaching out because one of our friends came across the Tomorrow Starts With “YES” postcard when her school’s teaching staff was doing an activity with your Pick-a-Postcard deck.  


You’ll notice the diamond ring on the bottom right, and I thought it’d be interesting to share with you that I had this piece commissioned to propose to my wife. I wanted something worthy of her and the city, with a duality that applies to more than just that moment. We are still Detroit residents and raising our kids in the city.  


It brings me joy to see it finding meaning with others.
-Ron

It turns out that a friend of Ron’s, a teacher in Brighton Public Schools and a participant in a professional development day at her middle school, used my Pick-a-Postcard kit in a workshop. She saw the Tomorrow Starts With “Yes” image and shared the with Ron, who eagerly reached out to share his story with me.

Ron commissioned Shades for one of the most momentous days of his life! I am honored to have this testament to love, art, collaboration, and the city of Detroit in my collection.

You will notice the updated caption in the newest edition of the Pick-a-Postcard kit:
Tomorrow Starts With “Yes”
Mural by Shades, commissioned by Ron as a proposal to his wife, Katie

About the Updated Pick-a-Postcard and Everywhere-a-Sign kits:

Each photo in my Pick-a-Postcard kit captures a unique memory or experience from my travels. When I first released the Pick-a-Postcard kit as a reflection tool for educators and facilitators, it was a curated collection of historic and artistic postcards. Over the last decade, I’ve moved to include mostly my own photographs for the collection. In this new update, it will now be exclusively my original photos from experiences like the one in this story. I am excited to share them with you!

We are in the midst of a reprint of both the reworked Pick-a-Postcard kit and the new Everywhere-a-Sign metaphorical postcard kits this month. If you’ve recently purchased the latest deck, reach out and I will send you these new cards to add to your kit. If you are purchasing for the first time, please use code INSPIRED20 for a discount on postcards and Bundles.

Both kits are sustainably printed by local printers and packaged in locally printed and constructed boxes.