Peace and Love

Illustation by Sandra Mason, Coleburn, NS

Bonita and Jordan

Pictou Crafter's Market

Summer 2010

Sometimes in your life you experience a moment that totally transforms you. The following story was one of those moments for me. It was during the summer of 2010 when I was crafting at the Pictou Market. The family in the story came along in the middle of a busy Saturday afternoon and spent about a half hour with me at my booth. Jordan, the second oldest in the family gave me an incredible gift of love and spirit. Enjoy!

It was an ordinarily extraordinary day on our family vacation to Nova Scotia and during that days adventure we wandered into a market and despite all the attractions we took pause to watch a lady making some beautiful clay hearts. She spoke kindly to us as we watched her create her treasure. Though I thought we should move on before any of my four kids broke anything, Bonnie had a relaxed presence and encouraged us to stay. She told us the story behind her mother sharing the hearts and allowed my kids to shape a heart of their own. Bonnie gave each of the kids a heart and told them to pass it on to whoever their heart tells them to. She assured them they would know. We continued to spend time with Bonnie and wander around and then we had to leave.

Quite some time later as we were at the exit, my daughter Jordan had such a concerned look to her, her mind was tugging at her I guess and she said "mom, I know who I need to give my heart to". Her heart was telling her to give it to that nice lady who shared her story with us. Jordan tried to ignore it so as to not be difficult, but there was no need to concern ourselves with the challenge of turning around the family of 6 and heading back into the chaos and then not being able to find Bonnie easily, because it was clearly something more important to Jordan's heart than any of that. Once we did find her and Jordan told her "Remember how you told us to give this to someone special? I need to give it to you." Then Bonnie's eyes teared up and they hugged and shared a time of telling each other how much that had meant to both of them.....and that is the story of the friendship of two amazing ladies who shared their hearts.

Bonnie and Jordan… friends forever!

And today as we write this, Jordan says "I love this story… especially the end."

Peace and Love,

Kelli and Jordan

This was a letter I later received from Jordan's mom, Kelli, who asked me to craft 52 heartpasses for Jordan to give to her classmates in Keewahdin Elementary School in Fort Gratiot Michigan, USA. The following is the message she wrote to the teacher:

Jordan has a gift she has handed out to her classmates in hopes that they will pay it forward. The small clay hearts are a gift to you as a way of showing kindness. Jordan’s close friend in Nova Scotia made these personally for you in the school colors blue and gold. If you look carefully on the back there is a # following the letters KES. These letters stand for Keewahdin Elementary School.

On the back is a description of how the hearts originated. The goal is that after you receive your heart from your classmate you will keep it in your desk or your pocket and when someone does something nice for you (for example a volunteer, teacher, classmate, bus driver) you will pass it to them with it’s card and bag and thank them for the kindness they showed toward you. You may have to explain to the person that you would like them to in turn pass it on when someone shows them an act of kindness.

If you have your parent’s permission you are able to register your heart on the kindness website at www.wheretheheartgoes.com . As the heart passes from person to person it may be registered and you and that person can see how far it has traveled. The map on the webpage shows that they have traveled to other continents. Your heart has already traveled quite a distance to get to you as it came from Nova Scotia last week.

We hope you can feel the joy it brings to share this with someone for just one simple reason….kindness. I know Jordan is excited to be sharing it with you.

Regards,

Jordan Dunn and Nita Hart