Rocks Spread Joy

Do you remember as a child picking up rocks, and stacking them into wobbly towers? You know when your out on vacation, or some where boring. You sat down and played with the rocks. Like the little 4 year old in left field during a t-ball game, since the ball would never get to him. He would just entertain himself with rocks and the occasional bug. That bug becoming the rock king, inside his rock castle. As an adult just watching how a young child just plays with the rocks, and seems to be so content. Rocks are joyful pieces from our Earth.

Few years ago I noticed in our hometown, a Facebook page was started online. It was people of all ages painting rocks. They would leave them all around towns for others to find and re-hide them somewhere else. It had a message on the back to post pictures to the group or Instagram. So people in the group would watch their rocks travel, and see the smilies it would bring to those who found them. I was hooked right away, I love to paint, just never thought of painting on rocks. I noticed more and more groups in different cities stated to pop on my timeline in Facebook. I even started to find groups in cities we travel to. Cities like San Diego, CA and Yuma, AZ.

When I would go fishing with my husband I would look for the perfect rocks to become the perfect canvas. My husband would find them at night when he was at work and would bring them home for me. I went shopping and stocked up on all the tools needed. You know, brushes, paint, detail tools, cups, markers the works. I loved how it made me feel. Knowing that first I had nothing on my mind, but the thoughts of this little rock bringing joy to a child or anyone. Seeing where my creation travels to. My husband I think enjoyed finding the rocks, to bring to me. I think he liked the joy it brought me, and how it made me feel.

I made my first batch. I panted a ninja, a little fuzzy creature, a music note, and Snoopy. I have not hid any of them yet, but will once it cools off. Before the whole lock down back in March 2020, I was walking up to my favorite place to eat one morning before work. As I was walking up to the door, I looked down and noticed a yellow thing. I picked it up and it was a painted rock of a Minion. I felt this big smile come across my face, and my whole day was set. I felt all the negative thoughts leave my head that morning. I took a picture of the rock and posted on the local group, that was written on the back of it. Comments flew in, about the rock, and where I found it. The young lady that painted was so happy someone found it.

I took the rock home, and showed my husband. He was happy, and shocked I found one. We decided to take it to one of our fishing spots in San Diego, that weekend. We hid it up by the docks. About a week later, in our local group the rock was posted. It was a little boy, holding on to it. He had a smile the size of Texas. He was so proud of it, his mom had stated in the post. He was hiding it over by his daycare, so other kids could find it. It made my heart full of joy, knowing I made someone smile. That who knows could have been having a bad day. I was responsible of turning that frown in to a joyful smile, all because of a rock with a little joy painted on it.

So if you are looking to paint and hid what they call kindness rocks, search your local Facebook and Instagram groups. Maybe start one up yourself. It is easy, and the joy it will bring you.