So now I will tell you the story of the Touchstones. It was just before 9/11. I had been holding a piece of porcelain in my hand, musing about it’s texture and how it felt. It was like a stone. I rolled it into a comfortable form, and picked up a tool that I use for carving the tiles. I began to write words on the stones. No thought, just action. I rubbed colorants into the carved areas, like I do with the tiles, and fired the pieces.
These little pieces were like those that people all over the world hold: worry stones, beads and stones, and the like. It seemed that in the business of daily life, we—-I—-often lose track of things that I need to remember. These little pieces of porcelain were touchstones—-reminders—–to pay attention. I carry them in my pocket, and as I handle them, they help me remember.
A year after 9/11, I was in the studio. A couple came in. They were from New York City. We started talking. They were planning on walking, with a group of bagpipers, at dawn, from Battery Park to the place we now know as Ground Zero. The woman wanted to buy a touchstone that had PEACE on it. I gave her a dozen and a half or so, and asked her to pass them on.
A week or so after that, I received an email from a man who had been given one. He wrote that he had been in his office near the Twin Towers on September 11, and that receiving a touchstone was a life affirming experience—a connection with others who cared.
I continue to make them, on and off, when the time seems right to me. We sell them at our gallery in the Village of Peninsula, and I give them away when it is what I need to do. And that, my friends, is the story of touchstones.
As always, feel free to leave a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. If you choose to leave a comment, I will enter you in a drawing for a touchstone.
I’ve written about our being connected and that living on Planet Earth, we really do live in the same town. We breathe the same air, look at the same moon and stars.
One World One Heart is an opportunity for people to share. Last year, Lisa Swifka, the originator of this event wrote:
The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way.
For me, it is another manifestation of the power of this medium. It is a way that we can embrace our humanity, and share it freely. It is interesting to me that it is the high tech that is providing the high touch in this high tech world. We have already demonstrated the Power of One in so many ways. This is another way for us to connect and to know that We Are One.
On Thursday, February 12, I will be doing another one of my high tech drawings—this one will probably be high tech die to the number of comments. I will be giving these to those whose names I draw. All items are crafted from fine porcelain clays, one at a time, by hand.
There will be at least 3 names drawn, and I will select which piece will be sent. The Touchstones may be given as a group or I may select some for several people.
Post a comment on this post by the deadline of 10:00 p.m.EST on February 11, and I will enter your name in the drawing. Please make sure that to add your email address when you post your comment so that I have a way to reach you .
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My Town Monday is another way to see that we all live in the same town. Travis Erwin, the man behind the curtain, is putting things back together after a devastating house fire. Chris, over at e-Cuniform scratchings, and Junosmom at Lifetime Learning are minding the store and posting links to blogs all over this fine planet. Take a look. You’ll learn a lot and have fun, too.
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And if you are so inclined, please visit Cups Of Kindness.
76 artists donated over 150 pieces of artwork. All proceeds from the sale of the artwork benefits the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank. To date, we have purchased 21,000 nutritious meals.
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.
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