EXHIBITION

Voicemail Secrets

About the exhibition

In this exhibition, we have collected a beautiful array of voicemails from friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, partners, loved ones. Some are funny, many brief and touching, some heartbreakingly final. We thank all the contributors who made possible this celebration of the timeless human connections captured in the voices of those we love.

Amber

My sister, Jade, told me about PostSecret years ago, and we loved reading the blog together on Sundays. Every year on my birthday she would serenade me with her special birthday song, an invented version that was much more upbeat and fun than the original, as she would say. Last year she sent the song to me as an audio message, something I will treasure forever. Sadly, my sister passed away in 2023 due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. Jade lived fully, loved freely, felt deeply, and inspired many. I’ll always remember the lessons she taught me: Always choose the adventurous route. Seek discomfort, as it's the best way to learn and grow stronger. Tend to your inner child, and make them proud of the person you are today. Most of all, hold your loved ones close. Never miss an opportunity to tell your friends and family how much you love and appreciate them.

Andrea

My mom, Sharon, said the only thing she ever wanted was to be a mother, and how she especially wanted a daughter. She overcame a lot of challenges early in life, but emerged with what felt to me like dysfunctional ways of relating to the people she loved the most. We had a fraught relationship. However, it felt like in the last few years of her life we began to accept each other for who we were instead of who we wished the other could be. My mom left me this voicemail five years ago, on my 50th birthday. She died suddenly two days before Christmas 2023. I miss her so much and treasure this voicemail.

Invented in the 1930s, the answering machine has allowed people to leave messages across the globe for decades. These messages—reminders, check-ins, words of love, hope, surprise, and news—moved to our phones, becoming treasured keepsakes. Why is it so important to save specific messages? They encapsulate a memory of a person. It’s not the content but the voice that matters, letting us be with them in a way. In that moment, they were thinking of you, reaching out to connect, fulfilling a human need. Long after their scent fades from shirts in the closet, after the last homemade pot pie is eaten, you have memories, stories, photos and, if you’re lucky, their voice telling you they love you.

Maureen

My Nana and Aunt Cate are the ones who left the message. You can tell Nana didn’t understand voicemail, and Aunt Cate was trying to gently help her along. It’s still a family joke, when someone is about to answer the phone, you instruct them, “Say Hello!”

Celeste

Our love story was short, but life-changing. We fell quickly, and hard, and I knew that I had found my one. I had never met someone who loved me in every way I had ever hoped to be loved. Six months in, I got a call that Mike was killed in a car accident by a reckless driver. This voicemail is the essence of Mike and what it meant to be loved by him. This is for young widows everywhere and every other person who has inevitably experienced a great love and an even greater loss.

Erica

My stepfather passed away suddenly in February of 2022. It is a funny feeling to miss the man I knew as an adult, but to hate the man I knew as a child. My story is likely a common one, and it is important to note that while relationships can be complicated, there isn't always a right and a wrong way to feel. I hated and loved the man that raised me, but I miss him and I'm glad that he is gone, too. The takeaway: life is complex and you can have multiple truths coexisting at the same time.

Cosima

Ethan, my big brother in every way that mattered, was the first to accept and love me unconditionally. Meeting him in high school was transformative. His exuberant, caring, and unpredictable nature made life anything but boring. His passion for his projects, especially his series Mad Nation, was infectious. Our bond deepened over shared interests like Fallout, often leading to memorable phone calls. Ethan's move to LA didn't diminish our connection; our trip to the Mojave Desert in 2015 remains a cherished memory. His tragic death was a profound loss, but his influence endures. As painful as it’s been coping without him, I am equally grateful for nearly 15 years together. I can’t convey every nuance of his influence, but I can hear his voice and laugh at our inside joke whenever I need to be reminded how lucky we were to be each other’s chosen family.

Marissa

Growing up, I wanted a nickname and settled on "Riz." My dad was the only one to use it and called me that for the rest of his life. We had a family tradition of attending the Illinois State Fair each year. As adults we did our best to continue the practice. In 2014, my mom passed away. We continued the fair tradition but her absence was deeply felt. In 2023, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and we did the fair one last time before we said goodbye. I will go see the 2024 butter cow for you, Dad.

Sahoya

That voicemail was the essence of who my mom was. Out of the blue she would call and tell her “Brown Eyed Girls” how great they were. Yes, “Brown Eyed Girls” from the Van Morrison song. Mom was always seated in love. All she ever wanted for us was for us to be happy. If I had the chance to leave a voicemail to her, I would simply say, “Thank you. We are keeping the family together as we had promised”. I love you so, so, much and every day I wish I could hear you say, “Hey Girl…”

Sarah

At 36, I've been able to enjoy 30 of those years (give or take some short youthful tiffs ) with the bestest of best friends. Payphones have been a constant over those years – from her times spent abroad, or just a casual passing on the way for groceries, it was expected that my caller ID would now and then read "payphone". Sadly, I am not always able to answer these calls… and because of that, I am graced to have this message as a reminder of how important those phone calls are, and how much I so love them, and the caller. I hadn't realized the extent of my postcard collection until I started gathering them (and this is from just one of my keepsake spots). These are just a handful sent by the same, wonderful friend.

Caitlin

My grandma died days before her 94th birthday. This voicemail was recorded 6 months before her passing. At the time, answering the call felt overwhelming because I was tired from a busy day. Now that she’s gone, I would give anything to get a call from her. She always told me she loved to see me smile, squeezed my hands tightly whenever we said goodbye, and made me feel truly special. I regret not calling more often, not making more time to swing by to play games and chat, for avoiding visits because it was too long of a drive. On her last day, my mom FaceTimed me to say goodbye. Grandma looked at me, ready to go, and smiled softly without saying a word. I wanted so badly to show her my smile one last time, but instead could only show her my tears.

Desiree

I lost my father somewhat abruptly in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, although I have held onto this voicemail that he sent in fall 2019. My dad was always someone I could lean on during difficult times at home and at work. He was one of the smartest and most grounded people I've known. I was having a particularly tough day at work & he had called me back after a stressful conversation to provide some encouragement. The little things that were upsetting me back then seem so unimportant, although I am thankful to still have this voicemail to go back to. My dad was also a manager in public service, and I wish that he had lived long enough to see me reach that point in my career myself. I am someone who has trouble with putting their needs first, so I also think about my dad's emphasis on doing the things we need to do to take care of ourselves in order to serve others best.

Veronica

My grandma unknowingly gave me important life advice on my 25th birthday: Let your "happy birthday" phone calls go to voicemail. Grandma passed two years after leaving this message, and missing her call was the best thing I could’ve done. It gave me a birthday gift that I get to open again every year. Grandma was my constant, my light. She taught me how to ride a bike, how to count change, and how to bring laughter into every conversation. All through my years away at college, Grandma called me every Friday night at 8PM sharp – and yes, those calls I always managed to answer, no matter what I was doing! Her personality sparkled as brightly as her outfits, and you can hear it come through in her voice. When I listen to this message, she’s still here with me, (and I’m still 25!).

“My dad passed away 15 years ago — he was 54; I was 27. When he passed, people kept calling me and leaving voicemails of condolence and I just couldn’t handle it, so one day I just rapidly swept through and deleted them. One after the other, just by rote. The last VM on my phone was from my dad. I accidentally deleted it because I couldn’t stop myself in time. It was 2009, so there was no way to get it back. I’ve regretted it every day since.”

“Keep your voicemails, guys. What I wouldn’t give to hear his voice again…”

Acknowledgments & Contributions

Exhibition Curator: Savannah Morin.

Design and Implementation: The Team at Automattic.

Patreon Support: A sincere thank you to our Patreons, whose ongoing support helps us continue sharing stories that matter.

Special Thanks: Our heartfelt gratitude goes to everyone who contributed their voicemails and soulful stories, making this exhibition a deeply personal and moving experience.

Did you find this exhibition inspiring?

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EXHIBITION

Voicemail Secrets

About the exhibition

Amber

Andrea

Maureen

Celeste

Erica

Cosima

Marissa

Sahoya

Sarah

Caitlin

Desiree

Veronica

Acknowledgments & Contributions

Did you find this exhibition inspiring?

Leave a Reply to Nicole Griffith Cancel reply

26 responses to “Voicemail Secrets”

EXHIBITIONS

ON VIEW

SCREENING ROOM

WATCH

EXHIBITION

Voicemail Secrets

About the exhibition

Amber

Andrea

Maureen

Celeste

Erica

Cosima

Marissa

Sahoya

Sarah

Caitlin

Desiree

Veronica

A MESSAGE YOU'VE SAVED

Submit your voicemail secret

Thank you for sharing the voice of your loved one!

Acknowledgments & Contributions

Did you find this exhibition inspiring?

Leave a Reply to Nicole Griffith Cancel reply

26 responses to “Voicemail Secrets”