August 31st, 2017

Venice Rocks!

It's kind of a scavenger hunt.  Local artists paint rocks and hide them around town.  People are supposed to find them, take photos of them and re-hide them for others to find.  The photos are then supposed to be posted on the appropriate website. 

The idea is that it's a bit of good luck for the finder.  Who couldn't use a bit of good luck, eh?  And even if you don't believe in "luck" it was still fun to happen across this little rock on the boardwalk at Service Club Park.

At the time I had no idea what the dealio was with the painted rock.  And in fact, Tim was the one who spied the rock.  We both kind of looked at each other with question marks in our eyes.  I said something like, "Isn't that adorable" and picked it up.  Tim said, "Yes, but why?"  I shrugged because I had no idea But when we turned it over....

Of course I slipped my phone out of my pocket, took the photos while Tim held the rock and we looked it up once we got back home.  How cool!  Since then we have found many of them as we walk around the island.  Some downtown, some in various parks, at the beaches, in front of businesses.  And each and every time, it makes me smile.

I especially love that there is no prize.  No monetary award. No trophy.  Nothing of cash value to trade these pretty little rocks for.  There is not one smidgen of "what in it for me?" involved in this project.  Just the pleasure of finding a pretty thing.

That's is practically a lost concept anymore.  And my hat is off to whoever thought this up.  It's not as if I am one of those "good old days" sort of people who honestly believes that everything was better at a different point in time. Because that's just not true.  Most things are better now. Most.

I do miss courtesy, I miss social graces, I miss a neighborhood's worth of kids playing outside in the evening without formal organization or any adults involved.  It would be a variation of tag most likely and their calls and laughter would fill the air.  I miss people dressing up a little bit for special occasions.  I will never stop being at least a little bit surprised when I see someone walking into church for Sunday services in shorts and flipflops.  And I miss children  finding genuine happiness in the little things life has to offer.

Oh the really young ones still do.  But that's because the world is all brand new to them and they aren't jaded yet. Babies and toddlers are still delighted with a sunbeam or a soap bubble.   But in very short order I see, out in the world, very young kids snubbing the gift of a colouring book because they wanted in iPhone. I keep thinking, "You are five years old, who are you going to call?"  The rude behavior and speech toward parents or other adults I've witnessed is honestly shocking to me.  Oh my!   The constant complaint of being bored just makes me shake my head in dismay.

We've lost something important.  The joy of simple things. The delight of discovery. Even in this very technological age, we can find happiness in uncomplicated things. In fact, maybe it's even more important now to occasionally step away from the computer, to put down the tablet, turn off the television and disconnect from it all.   Just for a little while.  Connect differently with the world  and the people around us.  Otherwise you will miss something like this. And you will just have to trust me on this, it's a completely different (and better) experience in person than in a photograph.