When I first hear the story of how he came upon Aurora Winter’s book, From Heartbreak to Happiness, I am entranced.

“I was walking in a park with my dog. I sat down on a bench to look out at the view across the water and there, at the end of the bench was this book with a note stuck to it,” he told me as we chatted over a tea.

On the book was a note:  This book really helped me when I was grieving the loss of someone I love. If you are called to pick it up, perhaps it will help you too. And when you’re done, please pass it along.

He was ‘called to’ pick it up. His heart was heavy from several losses in his life.

And just as the giver promised, the book helped him. And then, he passed it along. To a young woman he met one day in passing. She too carried a heavy heart and was called to pick it up.

What a beautiful way to make a difference in the world. To pass along, either anonymously or purposefully, things that have helped us heal. In this case, a book. Imagine what else we could pass along!

For years, I collected heart shaped rocks. I’d written a story for my daughters when they were young about a girl with a heart of gold and a king with a heart of stone. The story talks about how through her loving attention, his heart of stone becomes warm and caring. The moral of the story being, “even a heart of stone can be warmed in loving hands.”

As I drove across the Rockies, from Calgary to the coast, I had several heartrocks in the car with me. Occassionally I would hold one and feel its warmth as I held it. It’s been awhile though since I held a heart rock, warmed it up and then passed it along to people I meet so that they too can feel the magic and warmth of that tiny rock and its significance of sharing our warmth and love.

Time to begin again. Always begin again.

What ideas do you have for sharing healing in the world? There are so many pockets, landmines actually, of pain and suffering. What small yet significant thing could you do today to share healing, love and warmth with those you meet?

I love the idea of starting with a book on a bench. Or perhaps left behind on the table of a coffee shop. Or beneath a tree in your favourite park.

We can all make a difference in our world. And together, we make a world of difference.

Namaste.

(I am on Gabriola Island, loving and being in this healing place at The Haven.)