Happy "Collect Rocks Day"

“Polished round and smooth as marbles or lozenges of stone veined and striped. Black disclets and bits of polished quartz all bright from the mist off the river.”  

 -  Cormac McCarthy

BloQ LyriQs:
"I am a rock, I am an island

And a rock feels no pain." 

- Simon and Garfunkel

Ever since I was a little Dutch boy I loved collecting rocks. If we would go places, if possible, I would build dams with stones and most likely bring back at least one piece of rock, a stone or a pebble... Over the years I have gathered quite a few. I still remember where some of them came from - a cool rock I got from my grandmother many years ago... an awesome crystal-like rock I brought back from America (1977).  Others have since become part of displays, like a western scene underneath our stairs or can be found in any other diorama involving movie and or Disney figurines around the house. 

 

 

 

Rocks are everywhere in and around our house... from my office desk, to hallway tables - even in the bathroom you will find an item of geology. From my trips to Canada as a kid, I remember my auntie having a rock tumbler. This would polish up most pebbles into the most amazing gems. I always wanted a rock tumbler, but never had the chance to get one. If there's anybody out there that will let me tumble some rocks - send me a message!

Whenever we go for walks along the beach at Ohawe, there's often at least a couple of rocks that find their way back home in my pocket. I always believe they talk to me - they have a story to tell, the ones that stand out - which makes me, I guess, the rock-whisperer. Rocks do have stories to tell - some rough, some smooth - some round, some rectangular. Showing the scars of their journey through time...  One thing I LOVE doing, is stacking them, at the beach I often create little carefully balanced rock towers - or cairns, as they are called. I take a few photos of them and leave them to the elements. Sometimes, after returning from a walk, the stack still stands strongly in defiance... other times the wind has swept them over, having rolled towards their next resting place. Maybe someone else will pick them up and throws them in the water (flat ones are great for skipping), or maybe some kid is turning one into a pet-rock.


 

I wonder what will happen to my rock collection when I pass on to the next phase of my spiritual journey. Will someone keep them and cherish them, like I did - or will they be scattered somewhere for others to find. Or just end up in a skip of rubbish...