Stories From the Pictou Weekend Market
In 2009, I left my career as an Instructor for an organization called the WEE Society to care for my mother who had come to live with me in my home. Little did I know at the time how my life would be transformed! It was during the next 9 months when I came to truly understand the true meaning of love and kindness.
It was a few months after mum moved in with me when I started making the heartpasses. I had left my career as an instructor with the WEE Society in the Colchester region to look after mum. Because I was used to being on the road everyday, I found it challenging to be at home. I began working with polymer clay making jewelry as a pastime and soon began making clay hearts. My mum would soften the clay, which kept her hands flexible and strong.
The first heartpass handcrafted was for a woman named Jessie who ran a hair-styling salon called the Cat’s Meow. After a hair trim, I realized I had forgotten my wallet. Jessie told me not to worry about it; that it was her gift. I left her salon wondering what I could do to thank her for her generosity. I decided to make a small heart for Jessie. Adding a small card, I called it a heartpass and after giving it to her I asked her to one day pass it on to a person who extended kindness to her. Later that day I was in another business in our town discussing the heart with its owner. She said she wondered where the heart would go. Immediately I thought that is the name I will write on the cards and that is when Where the Heart Goes was born. In the beginning heartpasses were intended to be passed on to people who were kind to both my mother and me. Mum always asked to soften the clay and I was grateful because every heart contained a part of her and of me. Every week we had countless caregivers who came to the house to help care for Mum and we would pass on a heartpass to each caregiver.
My mother passed on April 15 of that same year but her love lives on in the hearts of her family and in each unique heartpass which I continue to craft to this present day. They’ve been traveling since 2009 and will continue to reach out and touch lives.
I’ve been fortunate to share many stories about the traveling hearts. In the past, at the Water Street Market & Bakery, I was grateful to be able to share more of these stories, as I met people from the county and around our world, visiting the market to look for unique gifts to bring home. My Mum would be so proud to know something we began in January of 2009 is still traveling and touching people’s hearts! I know I am and I look forward to sharing the stories of my incredible new friends. Please come back from time to time to read about the kind souls who are making a difference in our world. Kindness begins in the heart, and continues to grow and shine when shared!
