“Five years ago, I moved to Toronto from Vancouver, and a few months in experienced a hugely difficult shift in my personal life. Being new to the city at the time, and working intensely on building my community, every day was a new venture into exploring the city and meeting new people. One morning, I woke up to a little air-mail envelope tied to my bike that said “love” on it. That little envelope became my little beacon of light that made Toronto feel like home; I knew that if there was someone out there in Toronto tying love notes to people’s bikes, this was my kind of city. I’ve kept the little envelope on my bookshelf, and in the years that have passed, now happily and fully have embraced Toronto as home.”
“I got one of your love letters on the door-step of my store last week. My colleague was the one who found it and she had figured it was a letter TO ME so she didn’t open it. When I came in we both were so excited by it!! Hilarious. And when I opened it she asked if I knew who it was from. My response was, “not personally but I think someone is just spreading love around randomly and I’m so glad we got some here!” And to my utter delight, I learned this morning on Metro Morning that I was right!! (I didn’t hear the actual interview but heard the staff member talk about the one on his bike)
Thank you thank you thank you!”
“While strolling around my neighbourhood, the Beach, I saw you place something into the Grid magazine box. My partner said that she had read an article about this artist who goes around the city writing love letters to the city and she said that she was pretty sure that was one. We kept walking and I really wanted to go back and check but felt awkward about it so we kept walking further down Queen. We walked East for a while and decided it was getting late so we turned around and headed back home. I had completely forgotten about the letter, until my partner pointed out that there it was; the letter was still there waiting for us! So we took it home with us, poured two glasses of wine and opened the letter.”
~ Amanda Geensen
“I came into work at Red Pegasus and one of my co-workers, Jenn, told me we had been left a love letter in our door! We all gathered around reading and re-reading the poem trying to decipher its meaning, wondering why us and where did it come from? It definitely added a little mystery and excitement into our day. Sharing it with customers and friends, we were curious if there were other recipients out there that had been involved in this thoughtful love letter project, or if someone just wanted to brighten our day.”
“I found my love letter early one morning on Queen Street east of Broadview. It was sitting on the ground just outside of a dress shop. I picked it up, walked home and forgot about it for a few days. When I did open it and read the poem. I remembered hearing about you on CBC One. I was so happy to find one but I was unsure what I should do with it so I sent you an e-mail. I decided to give it to my friend Sarah, and asked her if she would seal it back up and write LOVE on the bottom right corner and drop it off near her home near Queen West. I thought it was best to send it back out into the city I was born in and the city I love.”
~ Bill Hand