Touchstones
It was shortly after September 11, 2001. The busy-ness of my day to day life left me feeling ungrounded. I rolled a small piece of porcelain into a lucky stone-shaped orb. And I wrote p-e-a-c-e on it. I inlaid a blue colorant into the carved letters and put it in the kiln. It worked. I had a stone with an important reminder. I kept it in my pocket and rolled it between my fingers. I began to make more of these “touchstones.” Reminders of things that seemed to get lost in the shuffle of life. They said things like dream, hope, believe, compassion, justice, peace, love and other words that touched a chord for me. We began to sell them—and give them away.
Right before the first anniversary of 9/11, a couple came into the gallery. We began to talk; the woman told me that they were in our area from New York City. They were planning on walking at dawn on the morning of the first anniversary from Battery Park to what we now know as Ground Zero, accompanied by a group of bagpipers. The woman wanted to buy a few Touchstones that said PEACE on them. We had just fired some of the stones. I selected the ones that said PEACE, and gave them to the couple, asking them to pass them on as they wished.
Several days later, I received an email from a man who had been in one of the buildings in the area on September 11. He wanted me to know how much it meant to him to receive a Touchstone.
It is important to remember that the power of One is immense, and that we can create change, one pebble at a time. Pass it forward.
Lisa Kenney said,
November 19, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
These touchstones are wonderful. I find myself constantly fiddling with and handling them. Years ago, I had a smooth green stone with the word “success” etched into it. Someone gave it to me just before I started a new job. I kept it in my pocket whenever I went on a customer call and I reached for it…for luck, often. Then one day my definition of success changed and I stopped carrying it. These are far more relevant and important sentiments. It’s amazing the power they have.
Travis Erwin said,
November 19, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
I love how your mind works.
Jane D said,
November 19, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
Simple, beautiful and so meaningful.
Jane xxx
Laura/centerdownhome said,
November 20, 2008 @ 10:52 am
I like these. I have a stone I picked up near my sister’s grave a couple of years ago, in Hollywood Cemetery here in Richmond. Don’t know why. Connection? I mean, I know she’s not there — she’s with me all the time. A reminder stone, maybe?