Journal Entry #2 : Better Days Are Coming - Community Post
The Message that started it all.
A few years ago, my little sister said something to me that I have never forgotten.
"Better days are coming."
Four simple words.
At the time, they landed exactly when I needed them. Since then, they've become a consistent reminder that difficult seasons eventually pass, circumstances change, and life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it.
When I opened the shop one day, those words found their way back into my thoughts.
I wondered what would happen if we put them on the wall and invited people to add something of their own.
So that's exactly what we did.
We hung a large blank poster in the shop with the words "Better Days Are Coming" across the top and left a pen nearby. Visitors were invited to write a message for whoever came after them. There was no guidance beyond that. People could write whatever they felt was worth sharing.
The first few messages appeared quickly.
Then a few more.
Weeks passed and empty spaces became harder to find.
Over the last six months I've watched the poster grow
into something we couldn’t have imagined. Customers, visitors, tourists, families and friends all left their mark. Some messages were funny. Some were thoughtful. Some were deeply personal. Others were only a few words long, yet carried a great deal of meaning.
Every now and then I would notice someone standing in front of the poster reading it. Sometimes they would smile. Sometimes they would call someone over to read a particular message. Occasionally they would spend several minutes taking it all in.
What struck me most was how willing people were to contribute to something they would never personally benefit from. No matter the age. From 7 year olds to 87 year olds, people from all walks of life. People from Australia & the states too. It showed us here at Old Eltons that mental health effects us all, and we all need support. The messages weren't written for recognition, they were written for a stranger that might need it.
Today the poster is full.
Every available space has been covered by the thoughts, encouragement and creativity of so many of people.
Taking it down felt like the end of a chapter, and I wasn't ready to see it disappear.
That's why we've worked with Trade Canvas to preserve it.
The original poster is being professionally scanned so that it can live on as a print, available both in-store and online. Every message, doodle, note and piece of handwriting will remain exactly as it was left.
The original poster will also be finding a new home through a giveaway.
For me, though, the most exciting part happened after the poster came down.
A new one went up
A fresh sheet. Empty spaces. A blank slate for more positive messaging.
The first poster began with four words from my sister. The next chapter begins with two words and an invitation for someone else to contribute.
I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who wrote on the first poster. Whether you left a single sentence, a small drawing or simply spent a moment reading what others had shared, you helped create something genuinely special.
The wall is ready again.
Let's see where the next six months take us.