Home is Where the Heart Is...1 year later

Don't you just love happy endings -- the kind that moves your spirit, makes you swallow hard and catch your breath as a burst of joy washes through you?  

Some of you may remember last December's posting,  Home is Where the Heart Is from Greg Sarles. He shared the poignant story of the tragic loss of his parent's cabin,  "a home away from home."  One of things that made this place special was the heart rock embedded in the hearth.  Greg reached out to the Heart Rock Collective to share his story and ask where he might find a replacement heart rock. One of our HRC readers reached out to him and offered him the gift of some of her heart rocks. Open Hearts...giving and receiving.

A few months ago, I received another email from Greg. Reading this one left me with a warm feeling and a permanent smile etched in my heart. Here's the rest of the story as Greg tells it:

Kimberly:

One of your reader's  (I believe that her name was Jenna) sent a gift of two-heart
rocks and a "Heart-Rocks" book to me this past December after you had posted
the story of my parents cabin fire.  I in-turn presented Jenna's gifts to my parents at
Christmas.  My usually reserved parents both reacted with sincere joy and hope in
receiving such a thoughtful gift.  I just want to express my thanks to you and Jenna
for sharing your heart and hearts!

I have included a couple of photos of the hearts solid in their new hearth.

Sincerely,
Greg Sarles

PS...Hear is the original story...
 

In 1990 my parents built the cabin of their dreams on Ten-Mile Lake in

 Northern Minnesota. The most amazing feature of the cabin was the

field-stone fireplace rising from the floor to the ceiling 25 feet overhead.

We spent hours looking for faces, animals, and hidden objects within the

rocks of this majestic fireplace. In the middle of the fireplace was a beautiful

heart-shaped stone that my mother had insisted that the builders center in the

rock formation.

This past weekend, the cabin burned to the ground. Only the fireplace stands intact.

But the intense heat caused a majority of the rocks to explode, shatter, or crack.

Although all of the personal belongings and family heirlooms in the house were

lost, we feel extremely blessed that no one was home at the time of the fire,

especially considering that the entire family was planning on spending the holidays

together at the cabin this coming weekend.

The cabin was insured and a new structure will soon replace the former, but the

"broken-heart" pictured is very symbolic of the loss. I would love to surprise my

mom with another heart-shaped stone which she could use to anchor the new cabin.

Please contact me if you know of where I could purchase such a heart!

Give Your Heart(s) Away...

After days of never-ending rain, this afternoon offered a refreshing change with its endless blue skies, billowing cotton clouds and golden sunshine -- the perfect day! I spent the afternoon enjoying the quiet beauty of Great Meadows Wild Life Refuge (Concord, MA). Along the trail, bordering the wetlands, the cattails swayed in the gentle breeze as the sound of the marsh wrens filled the air.

Nature offers just the right balance of solitude, joy and beauty to soothe the weary soul...and sometimes unexpected treasures turn up. I found three heart rocks (pictured above); each one -- uniquely shaped -- reminding me that love is present all around. Whether the shape of your heart is worn down and hardened by the harshness of life; a little rough around the edges or open and full of love, the message remains the same...if you want to receive love, give some away.

Love is a decision.

So...I made a decision.

I gave away my heart(s) today in hopes that someone in a need of love will happen upon these little heart rocks tucked away in the marshes of Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge awaiting discovery.

Peaceful Blessings to all, may God continually shower you with His love in unexpected ways.

~ Kimberly
--------------

My profession is always to be alert, to find God in nature, to know God's lurking places, to attend to all the oratorios and the operas in nature. ~ Henry David Thoreau

You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. ~ Saint Bernard

Labor of Love

If you believe in love, love can move mountains...even giant 'heart rocks'.

A heavy equipment operator discovered this 'gem' (his favorite among many cool rocks found at his work-sites) and brought it home to become part of a beautiful waterfall (pictured above) that he built for his in-laws.

Thanks to David A. Perry of Connecticut for contributing this heart rock story and reminding us that 'hearts' are moved by love.

HiddenTreasures...Hearts bound by Love

A beautiful and moving story a family's unique discovery of hidden treasures that speak of the love that binds...hearts shared...across time. Thanks to Liz for sharing her story with us...

My mother lived in the Virgin Islands for most of her later years. When she passed, my sisters and I cleaned her home from top to bottom leaving nothing but a mop outside and a few items that the new owners might appreciate.

When my husband and I traveled to the island for an anniversary vacation, we decided to see what the house now looked like 3 years later. Approaching the house a bit nervous, because I was fearful of an onslaught of emotion, we found the house exactly as we left it, mop and all and falling apart. I checked all the doors and found only one to be unlocked. The apartment below was open and there sitting on the table was a small box with something white sticking out. I cleaned this place and left NOTHING when we left earlier. I had no idea where this box came from and why it had my moms handwriting on the outside. Looking in I was flabbergasted. There sitting gently side by side were 31 different heart shaped pieces of white coral. All shapes, all sizes. I was beside myself. Not only did I not know where these came from, that my mother ever collected these beautiful finds, but my sisters too had no idea. The only thing we could think of was how she had always had a basic theme to her home- everything was white (furniture, kitchen, marble floor etc., and you splash vibrant color all around.) She must have found these stones/ coral in her travels around the world and kept them to herself somewhere unknown to us. How they ended up back in her home long after she had passed and the house was sold is a mystery.

This story would be something in and of itself, but what she and my sisters and no one else knew, was that my son and I have been collecting heart shaped rocks for the last 13 years and only we know about it. Pretty wild huh....

WELL....there is one last part to this story....

My mom is buried on the property, and we wanted to visit her too. she was buried in an above ground site. A stone wall with name plate in the front and cement top. Common in the south. I went up to visit her and to leave an orchid and one of the coral hearts we found. When sitting there I looked over to the right where the stone mason who built the wall and sealed her in must have flicked the remnants of cement on his shovel off, and there was a small perfectly shaped heart made out of the cement. With that I lost it. I retrieved the heart and took home so many wonders and questions. My mother and I were more alike than I knew and we have this one special bond that will always warm me when I look on at them all mounted for me and others to see in my home. My son and I continue to collect and love knowing it is just for us to do. Our little something....

Thank you for letting me share this with you. I hope others enjoy it as much as I love sharing it.

Liz

The Law of Attraction: A Magnet for Heart Rocks

Troy, our heart-rocker, from Australia, knows how to find heart rocks. Learn his 'secret' to successful heart rock finds as he recounts this sequel to his previous post, Somebody Mend This Broken Heart.



The next couple of weeks following the finding of that broken heart rock, I decided to look for more heart rocks and walked down the same beach and the adjacent pebbly beach a couple more times. As I have recently taken an interest in The Secret and The Law Of Attraction, I put the law of attraction into practice to find more heart rocks and indeed I have found several more heart rocks including two that are perfectly shaped into hearts (one being of petrified wood), I have gladly taken these heart rocks and kept them in my collection of other rocks of interest I've picked up off the beaches. Also to my amazement I went to my local Woolworths supermarket to do grocery shopping and when I was getting some potatoes I found a siameze potato which was heart shaped and I bought it with the other potatoes. Anyhow here's some photos of my heart rock collection and potato heart.

Cheers
Troy

Somebody Mend this Broken Heart!

How would you respond if you encountered a broken heart (rock)? Yours or someone else? What would you do?

Compelled to take action, Troy Walters, a fellow heart rocker from the 'Land Down Under' shares with us his response...



Hi my name is Troy, an Aussie who takes interest in the oddities that nature presents to me and during my walk on North Beach in Wollongong, NSW, Australia I came across a blue grey heart shaped rock that was broken diagonally in two, I guess some teenager must of pegged it against another rock with intent to break this heart for kicks. Anyhow it's a shame it was broken but yet I was fascinated how perfectly this rock was shaped into a heart so I took some photos and I felt compelled to write a message in the sand for this rock so I wrote in the sand "Somebody mend this broken heart!" as the first thing that came to mind was that classic Bee Gees ballad "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and I photographed it. I didn't take it with me as it symbolizes a broken heart and I'd probably would feel broken hearted hehehehe, nah I felt it would be better left at the beach with the message and it will be interesting to wonder how many beach walkers would see the rock and message and what their reactions to it will be. Anyhow I decided to google heart rocks out of curiosity and I came across your blog spot displaying other peoples heart rock discoveries and their stories so I thought I'd share my story too.

Cheers
Troy

I will give you a new heart...

A gift from the sea...

Tossed upon the rocky shores of Rye, NH, tumbled by the tumultuous waves, a heart, once lost... is found again. Love prevails. God’s unfailing love sent special delivery…through this gift from the sea.

Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

~ Kimberly

Hearts in Focus - 2/27/2009

'Hearts in Focus' - A monthly addition to the HRC that will highlight newbies to the Heart Rock Collective. If you stumble upon an intriguing post, story and/or resource pertaining to heart rocks in your virtual travels, please forward the link and/or url so that I can add them to our collective and extend a 'Hearty' welcome.

Please enjoy the latest sites of hearts found and shared...

Heart Centered Blogs:
Kitty's Heart of Nature blog

Gifts from/for the Heart:
Kitty's Heart of Nature Etsy Shop

Romancing the Stone...Adventures in the Namib Desert

A heart rock story guaranteed to make your heart swoon!

Glenn McCrea shares this touching account of his adventures trekking through the Namib desert in South Africa. Determined to fulfill his dream of finding a heart rock for his wife, he refused to leave empty handed...how far would you travel to find love?



Nambian Heart Rock

Hello,

I discovered your site today and decided to share my best heart rock story.

My wife, Deborah, has been a seeker and collector of heart-shaped rocks for many years. Whenever we are out in the wilds we keep our eyes peeled for specimens to add to her extensive collection. Back in December 2000, I spent several weeks visiting my brother, who was working in South Africa at the time. While there, we made a road trip up into Namibia to the Sossusvlei area (http://wikitravel.org/en/Sossusvlei) in the Namib desert.

This area is famous for its huge red sand dunes. The plain below the dunes is littered with the most fascinating weathered black rock, which I believe is dolomite. The surface of all the rocks has been carved by eons of wind, and each rock has the texture of a dark Haas avocado.

When I saw these amazing rocks, I fantasized about finding a heart-shaped rock made out of this unusual stone to give as a gift to my wife. I searched for the two days we were there, and just as my brother and I were leaving the area, I asked him to pull over so I could make one more search. It was late morning and very hot, so he sat under a tree while I wandered out in the full sun trying to fulfill my dream of finding the perfect heart rock for my wife.

When I look back on the find I made, it seems almost like I conjured the rock out of the ethers. It was so perfect that it looked like someone had placed it there for me to find. I believe it is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.

The next time I had a chance, I telephoned my wife from Namibia to tell her that I had a special rock for her, and that if somehow the plane crashed on my way home, she should make sure they combed through the rubble to try to find it. Luckily, that wasn't necessary, and I lived to see the incredulity on her face when she first saw it. The rock measures 5" across by 4" top to bottom and is 1.5" thick.

Glenn McCrea

Santa Rosa, California

mccrelliott@earthlink.net

Check out Glenn's website www.dewdropworld.com
~beautiful nature photography seen up close & personal~

Peace, Love and Be Happy!

We all need love...to know that someone cares about us...that someone is watching over us. Signs of love surround us. A young woman from Long Island, N.Y. shares From the Heart -- a story of how signs of love transcend time and place...

Friday, February 20, 2009


"Gab & her big rock"

"I am seventeen years old H.S. senior from Long Island, NY. In celebration of From the Heart month at the Long Island Children's Museum my exhibit titled "Peace, love and bee happy" is a collection of 25 of my favorite photographs and my entire heart rock collection. I have never counted but I might have 40 heart shape stones which I have found where I live (N.Shore of L.I.). and since my Grandmother's passing eight years ago I keep stumbling upon heart shaped objects. I believe they are I love you's from my Grandma so I started photographing and collecting them. One day while walking on the beach I looked up and said "OK Grandma!! Show me a sign" attached is a photo of myself with the rock I found that day!"

Happy Heart Rock Day!

Happy 'Heart Rock Day' to all my fellow Heart Rock Enthusiasts!

I received an email from Oriana Green, a fellow heart rock collector, who requested a link back to her blog, Green Meditations: meditation on nature as a spiritual and creative path.

On her site you'll find beautiful images of nature, information on how to meditate, spiritual/inspirational quotes and the following two stories of her heart rock discoveries. Enjoy!

Found-and-Lost

http://greenmeditations.com/found-and-lost

The Earth is my Valentine

http://greenmeditations.com/

A peaceful heart...

John Pettygrove shares with us this beautiful story of his wife's discovery that heart rocks can soothe the troubled soul...

"My wife had breast cancer two years ago and for therapy, she would look for heart rocks and it has become a passion. We have turned it into something we share with others as I have been able to incorporate them into displays. Her awareness started a year before we met, when a painter dropped his paint brush while painting her house two stories high and it hit a rock on the ground and made a perfect heart. Then after this, her printer would spontaneously print out a sheet with a small heart in the upper left corner. I know looking for heart rocks has given her peace during a difficult time and she found what I have not been able to give in these rocks. I have given her your web site but wanted to share her story."

Heart Rock displays
www.rockymountainmetalscapes.com

First Heart Rock Story of 2009...

Happy New Year to all our Heart Rock Enthusiasts!!

I was delighted to come home this afternoon to discover an email from a reader who stumbled upon our blog and offered these beautiful heart rock images to add to our collection! How lovely and precious to find a heart rock...doubly blessed! God truly showers us with His extravagant love. Please enjoy the first of what I hope will be many heart rock stories shared with the HRC for 2009.


Received January 1, 2009

"Over 25 years ago, I found solace in this double-sided heart rock found at Pavillion Beach. I have always thought of the first image as the "front" and the second as the "back". Enjoy!"

Hearts 'n Sync

I was delighted to find my heart 'n sink with God while doing my dishes tonight :-) Just what I needed to lighten my spirits...heart bubbles! God always surprises me!


Delight yourself in the LORD,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
~ Psalm 37:4,5

A Child is Born...

For unto Us a Child is born
Unto Us a Son is given
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 9:6

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord"
~ Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas! May your hearts fill to overflowing with the promise of hope for better days ahead, renewed hearts and minds and restored relationships with family and friends.

Blessings of God's peace,
Kimberly

Hearts in Focus - 11/10/2008

'Hearts in Focus' - Please enjoy the latest updates from fellow Heart Rock enthusiasts...

Newsletters with Heart & Soul:

Found Heart's Newsletter
Check out Rick Ruggle's newsletter to learn more about his new photograph collections. Just in time for the Holidays...give a gift of the heart from the heart.
Subscribe


LovingBlind Productions Newsletter
Josie Iselin continues her soulful work in sharing her special vision of seeing the beauty in the gifts found in the earth, sea and all that surrounds us. Subscribe to her newsletter and keep up-to-date on her latest books and projects.
Subscribe

Heart stones hold precious memories...

"... found these on the river bank of the Ct. river in Northern N.H. before my Mom died...they are a source of great comfort, until next time....Gert"

Thanks to Gert Cote (Western, MA) for reminding us that our 'roots' (the people and places that shaped us) remain forever in our hearts. Welcome to the Heart Rock Collective, Gert!

To see more of Gert's collection, check out her heart rock stories and images over on Josie Iselin's blog.

Heart Shaped Rock in Memory of a Fallen Agent

I always love to receive emails from people who offer a piece of their hearts. The following email was received from Frances O'Connor on October 23, 2008...

I do not have an image to share at this moment, but pursuing a quest of over twenty years, last week I picked up a rock at the site of where my younger brother transitioned over 3 months ago in upstate N.Y. It had a piece off the top and looked like a broken heart. He was too young to die at age 62. He was a Criminal Investigator for ICE (Homeland Security). They are still investigating his death. A moment ago I went to look for the rock and panicked when I couldn't find it from my trip, but a prayer to St. Anthony quickly solved that.

Fran

Hearts in Focus - 9/13/2008

'Hearts in Focus' - A weekly addition to the HRC that will highlight newbies to the Heart Rock Collective. If you stumble upon an intriguing post, story and/or resource pertaining to heart rocks in your virtual travels, please forward the link and/or url so that I can add them to our collective and extend a 'Hearty' welcome.

Please enjoy the latest tales of hearts found and shared...

Writings from the Heart:

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a staff writer for The Spokesman-Review and writes a weekly post on her blog, Home Planet. I discovered two articles she penned for the Spokesman Review a few years ago about her personal experiences collecting heart rocks and the flood of stories she received from others who shared a similar passion.

1. Take Moment to Cherish Love on the Rocks - March 20, 2006
2. Many Memories are Embedded in Hearts of Stone - April 3, 2006

Virtual Heart Heart Projects:

Hearts from All over the World

A beautiful testimony...this website chronicles one family's journey of discovering and observing heart rocks and shapes. After the passing of a loved, heart rocks and heart shapes became a way for each of them to honor the memory of their loved one and to celebrate and enjoy the love found in each moment.

Join a 'Heart' Centered Group:

Pawn Shop Hearts - Pawn Shop Hearts is a public collective of heart-shaped images discovered from all corners of the world.

Hearty Blogs:

Jim and Lea - Heart Rocks at Cradle

Matters of the Heart - Quotes & Inspirations:

"Let a man set his heart only on doing the will of God and he is instantly free. If we understand our first and sole duty to consist of loving God supremely and loving everyone, even our enemies, for God's dear sake, then we can enjoy spiritual tranquility under every circumstance." ~ A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Many blessings,
Kimberly

Allow Me to Explain: Collections

Hello, HRC Readers,

Please welcome the most recent addition to the Heart Rock Collective:

Nisha from TX shares her heart-warming stories about family, farm life and the treasured memories and lessons embedded in ordinary moments in her sojourn through life.

Check out her blog and read about her Collections of Heart Rocks:
Allow Me To Explain: A wife and mom trying to keep the memories fresh

**Please send prayers for Nisha and her family for safety, God's protection and blessing as Hurricane Ike heads towards landfall on the Texas coast.