Have you ever been thinking about someone you have lost perhaps because you saw something that reminds you so much of that person. It often feels like a special message being sent to you from them. Megan Murphy, from Barnstable, Massachusetts, felt this way when she would walk on the beach near where she lives. If she found a heart shaped rock, it would remind her of her dad, and if she found a piece of sea glass, it would remind her of her mom.
A few years ago, Megan got the opportunity to meet Oprah Winfrey. Oprah encouraged Megan to do something to help people. Megan began thinking about how much comfort finding the heart shaped rocks and sea glass brought her, and she came up with an idea. She started painting rocks with kind words and inspirational messages and leaving them around the beach for others to find. It really started as just a hobby, just a way for her to leave a little something to bring joy to others. Megan’s daughter encouraged her to start a hashtag and put it on the back of the rocks so others could learn how these rocks came to be. The hashtag “#Thekindnessrocksproject” was born. Now, Megan’s hobby is spreading around the world. People are taking her idea and making it their own. Rocks are being painted and hidden, left behind to spread kindness.
A friend of Megan found one of the first rocks hidden on the beach. She had not told anyone she was doing this yet, but her friend sent her a picture of the rock. Her friend said that finding the rock with the inspirational message on it brought such joy to her at just the right moment. Megan knew from that point that what she was doing could really make a difference in this world. A small act of kindness could bring joy and hope to someone when they may need it most.
What small act of kindness could you do to bring joy and hope to others? Speaking kind words to someone, smiling at a stranger, thanking someone that has helped you, or even painting rocks and hiding them for others to find are all things we can do to show kindness to others. You won’t regret it!
Lee Ann Simpson, Administrative Assistant, Asbury Campus
