Edmonton woman’s mission spreading love among strangers

To anyone walking by, it looks like Ashley Green has run into an old friend.

She embraces the woman in the middle of a sidewalk near the University of Alberta on a blustery spring day. The two share warm words, and part ways as quickly as they came together. It was their first and likely only meeting.

This is what 27-year-old Green does. She connects with strangers, brightens their days, and leaves them just as quickly as she breezes in. It’s all part of her ongoing project, Love Letters 2 Strangers.

“I really encourage people to think about somebody you maybe pass on the street,” Green says.

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“We wouldn’t take a second to think about what their life story is or what they might be going through, but we probably have more similarities than differences.”

WATCH: Writing letters is becoming a lost art in the days of email and social media. But an Edmonton woman is hoping to change all that. With the help of some dedicated volunteers, her goal is simple: to make someone else’s day. Quinn Ohler reports.

2:06 Love Letters

The love letters project started with a bit of boredom and some craft supplies. Green wrote some kind words, decorated her notes – and gave them to strangers.

She kept her letter delivery habit secret for about a year. When friends found out, they wanted to join in. Then strangers came calling. For the past three years, she’s put on workshops to bring others together to craft love letters to strangers.

“It’s not very often we receive something completely free and without any obligation or expectation these days. So to give something to somebody with no string attached is pretty rare,” Green says.

The professional photographer also travels to schools and works with young people. When asked why she goes to those lengths, she turns the question around, asking, “Why not?”

“I know it is meaningful, I know that is has that amazing impact. So for me, I can’t not. Now that I’ve started it’s just a part of who I am.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I know it is meaningful, I know that is has that amazing impact. So for me, I can't not. Now that I've started it's just a part of who I am."

In a world where we’re quick to judge, and criticizing anonymously is easier than ever, Green gets energy from doing the opposite.

“It’s easy to lash out, or to ignore, or to blame, or to participate in the negativity that’s around us, but it’s just as easy to participate and grow and exchange positivity with one another.”

A sticker on the back lets recipients know how to get in touch with the project, if they choose to respond.

Some send a simple thank you. Others share intensely personal details; “paragraphs of what they’re going through and what they’re dealing with,” Green describes.

“Then they get this letter and it changed their life.”

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“I don’t think every letter is going to make that big of an impact but the ones that do, that’s so meaningful and that’s what it’s all about.”

A workshop this Sunday at Meals on Wheels Edmonton will take the project in a new direction. At two sold-out workshops of about 25 people each, participants will craft messages of kindness for Meals on Wheels clients. They’ll also learn more about the program. Their messages, along with flowers donated from another company, will go out with Meals on Wheels packages this week.

The Love Letters 2 Strangers movement is expanding to other Canadian cities soon; love letter ambassadors plan to open chapters in Winnipeg and Toronto – making the world a sunnier place, one sparkly piece of paper and string of kind words at a time.