Can You Hear Me Now?

Sonder’ is one of my favorite words. It was coined in 2012 by U.S. writer John Koenig in his blog The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. The word means the feeling one has on realizing that every other individual has a life as full and real as one’s own

It’s something that is all too rare in a world where people feel increasingly isolated and alone.

So much of what we do or how we feel is plinked out on a computer keyboard or voice texted into our phones – softened by emojis or self-deprecating memes. The hard thoughts – the ones about love and loss, fear and pain, swirl around in our heads, unmoored and unsettling, are rarely given a voice.

This is part of what led to the unexpected art project: The Goodbye Line. The idea was simple – two artists created an 800 number that anyone could call into and leave a ‘goodbye’ message. They stuck the stickers on the last remaining payphones scattered across Los Angeles.

“Yes, this payphone works” the stickers read in blocky text against a red and white backdrop. The instructions continue with the line, “Someday, these will be gone, like you, me, and everyone else,” prior to inviting readers to leave a message “before it’s too late.” People are calling.

People call and say goodbye to old friends, to family members, to earlier versions of themselves. The messages are deep and thoughtful, seemingly crafted with far more care than the hundreds of texts we let fly every day.

As one of the artists shared: “You use a pay phone in a different way than you use a cellphone. It’s not in your pocket. It’s not connected to a camera. You go and do this goodbye in a place that’s different from where you do most of your business. You hear a dial tone. That’s the sound of waiting. Then you leave a message as if you just dug a hole into the ground.”

People seem to be looking for these types of moments in their lives. Things that feel real. Thoughtful. Weighty. We want to feel the full measure of our lives, in real time. To be heard – really heard, and to listen just as hard. In a world freighted with false narratives and unmoored anxiety, the weight of a phone receiver, and the clear focus of leaving a permanent message feels right.

“I was here,” we want to say. “My life was important.”

Brands looking to tap into the cultural zeitgeist should be taking notice. Feathers and photo opps (I see you Coachella) only go so far. People are looking for moments of real connection, of thoughtful reflection, of memorializing this life of ours. Of holding and celebrating the moments that remind us we are alive.

It’s getting real out there, and so, it appears, are we.

Curious to know – what message would you leave on the “Goodbye Line”? Drop a comment below