kindness rocks
We live in disconcerting, dangerous times. No secret about that.
The world around us often seems so dysfunctional, and that’s on the very best of days. Our national political scene is utterly discordant. When will cooler heads prevail? Are cool heads even out there? One wonders. One truly wonders.
Follow the news from Washington, D.C. Follow the news from anywhere. You’ll see childish finger pointing, name calling, trash talking, disrespect, and all manner of incivility and negativity. It’s the kind of behavior that would have a chastened kindergartner sitting on the bench outside the principal’s office.
When will it all end? When will they learn? When will decorum become the order of the day? In this mile-a-minute, instant-gratification, ego-driven world, when will compassion, understanding, selflessness, and tolerance trump contentiousness and one-upmanship? One wonders about that as well.
Enter the Kindness Rocks Project, an initiative founded in July 2015 by Megan Murphy, a freelance writer and life coach from West Barnstable, MA.
Her idea, which spread rapidly, was to create images and brief messages on small, hand-painted stones and leave them in spots where passersby might notice them and stop to reflect and draw inspiration.
One of the places to which the idea spread was Collegiate, where Earth ‘n Mind, a Middle School organization, leaped at the opportunity to promote good will and send positive vibes in a simple and understated yet powerful manner.
In their way of thinking, you see, though an unpredictable world swirls furiously around them, kindness actually can rock.
“I’ve learned a lot about the magic in the little things,” said Wendi Moss, a Middle School English teacher and co-sponsor of Earth ‘n Mind. “Any little thing that can brighten somebody’s day is important. I’m happy that these positive messages might make a difference.”
When the 6th and 7th graders who comprise the two Earth ‘n Mind groups heard of the program, they jumped at the opportunity to make a difference/ During their ensuing meetings, they gathered rocks from around campus, then repaired to Room 205 in the South Science Building to paint them a variety of cheerful colors and adorn them with self-created uplifting messages.
“We wanted to make people feel better,” said Abby Bauhan, a 6th grade Earth ‘n Mind member. “We put quotes on them and made them look nice and happy. We laid them around school so when someone’s having a bad day, they can see a happy quote and feel better about themselves.”
There are about 40 kindness rocks spread at strategic spots around the north side of the campus, mostly along the walkways near Flippen Hall, the Reeves Center, and the Reed-Gumenick Library.
The messages are varied. There’s one that reads, “Be friendly to everyone.” Another says, “Shine Bright!” Another offers, “Be Youtiful.” Another offers only a beaming happy face. No inscription needed. Yet another reads, “Destiny is what you can be, not what you are.” Another, laden with symbols on a white background states, simply, “Dream.”
“We painted the rocks with bright colors so they’d attract people,” said Hugh Cafritz, a member of the 7th grade Earth ‘n Mind group. “We wrote happy messages. Some are funny to make people laugh. We did it because we thought the world should be happy. If we see people change for the positive, then we’ll know we’ve made a difference.”
Earth ‘n Mind was developed by Deborah Andersen, a former Middle School teacher. Her hope was to enhance students’ appreciation of nature through activities such as camping, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and fishing. Collegiate’s version of the Kindness Rocks Project was a natural extension of the mission.
“It’s easy to focus on the bad, but we need to be reminded of the good there is in the world,” said Paul Lupini, a Middle School science teacher who co-sponsors the club. “The etiology of the idea probably comes from bumper stickers. You see negative ones. There don’t seem to be as many positive ones. This is a chance to voice positive opinions. This group wants to take it further. On our camping trips, they want to place stones at each campsite. That might start a really cool trend.”
