In the fall of 2013, two young Oregon school girls were playing in a pile of leaves at the side of the road. A passing car struck the girls, one of whom was killed instantly and the other who died later that night.
Out of their parents’ tremendous grief came a project of love that has spread around the country. “The Love Rocks Story,” found on the blog A Love Drenched Life, shares the story of how the mother, Susan, created a message of love with a simple project. Based on guest favors that were given out at her wedding, the grieving mother created a template for decorating polished rocks with fabric hearts. The completed hearts were to be placed in unexpected places where people could find them. As anonymous gestures, they offered a positive message to all who discovered them. People and groups around the country have adopted the project, and their creations and rock findings are posted on the Love Rocks Facebook site.
Certified peer specialist Nicki Hunter recently shared the Love Rocks story at a morning group session. Afterward, peers became enthused at the idea of designing their own personal rocks to place around their local communities. As the love rocks are created, they will be labeled with the Perry Wellness Center website.
We hope that the Love Rocks project will be a fun and meaningful way of sharing a little love with our neighbors, strangers, and the world at large.
And we encourage you to check out more about the project at the links above and to share your own tokens of love with not only those you know, but the unknown people who may need a message of hope.
In the photo above, from left, Thomas, Mary, Nikki Hunter CPS, Jeffrey, and Vicki work on the center’s “Love Rocks” project.