Kindness Rocks, Glasgow Style

You may have noticed a proliferation of pretty, painted rocks around town lately. If you aren't on Facebook, or know anyone who is, you may have wondered about them. What are they for? Why are they where they are? What should I do with them? Why are people investing their time and artistic abilities on something as mundane as a rock?

A bit of research, a bit of googling, or asking the children who hunt for the rocks, will let you know. It's called The Kindness Rocks Project was started by Megan Murphy in Cape Cod. She says the movement was "created to spread inspiration and a moment of kindness for unsuspecting recipients through random inspirational rocks dropped along the way."

Having been orphaned at a young age, she missed having mentors. During morning walks along the beach, especially at difficult times, she would search for pretty sea glass or heart-shaped rocks, taking them as 'signs' that things would work out. Then she thought perhaps others were also searching for such "signs." She began to paint rocks, and dropped them along her path. She started receiving messages of how those rocks changed people's attitudes about their day.

This movement has gained many followers, and seems to be exploding in popularity. There are groups not only all over the US, but also in Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Haiti, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and Thailand. By now, it might have spread even farther.

Our local Glasgow MT Rocks group was started in June by Melissa Lamson. She set up a Facebook page, opened to the public, in early July. Those of us painting and dropping rocks would love to see photos of the found rocks with the finders posted on that page. Even as I write this, an Opheim group has been opened by Angela Ragland.  Now my efforts will have to go in two directions.

The rocks, once found, can be left where they are for another to discover, or re-hidden elsewhere. Or they may be kept, if you just can't bring yourself to give up the happiness they brought to you. Some of them are truly beautiful. If you wish to join in, there are scads of ideas on how to paint rocks on Pinterest.