Not knowing what to do, feeling unmotivated, how to start. I happened upon these stones I had put aside and knew what to do- well sort of.  You see, last year I had an idea for an empty sand box in the children’s garden at work: fill it with smooth rocks that can be painted or drawn on and left for others to take- a gift of kindness, messages of hope, a zen garden for children.

Like many  good ideas it just sat there for awhile- almost a year in fact- before it came alive.  The old sandbox became a wonderful strawberry patch after someone kindly donated the plants, and the special rocks were forgotten.

With Spring came new beginnings and old ideas planted as seeds began to poke up through the ground.  My colleague and I decided to invite others at the centre to make some rocks to share, and came up with the name “Hope Rocks”.

So this is what I did; I took those rocks, doodled and painted on them, then wrote  brief messages I thought someone might need to hear.  The rocks will be placed in with the other Hope Rocks for others to take as they need.  Though they are invited to take one and make one to leave it is not necessary to leave a rock behind. Everyone has different needs; not all may be in a place where they are ready to receive, not all are in a place where they are ready to give.

I don’t always know what to do, I often am stuck: stuck with thoughts of how my art* “should” be.  When I let go of this notion of “shoulds” things fall into place as they will. I relax. I create. I feel more connected to the present and less invested in outcome. Trust the process becomes my mantra.

art* insert any expectation of self here.

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