Stones

Stones

Stones. No ears. No voice. Timeless stories.

Dear Stone,

so many colours, forms, structures, just waiting till someone sees your beauty and picks you up to take you to another place. Are you creating stories or are we making stories about you.

My dear friends Jana and Dan, I found it!.

Jana, a few days ago you asked me for a gift for Dan. A necklace, a stone. Dan can wear close to his heart. I should find a gift/a stone, which expresses all your love for him and for this country in one single small thing in a time when all the shops are closed, and of course I wanted to put my deep respect for our friendship in this gift as well. Can you buy something like that?

I thought of leaving Wanaka and all this Corona thing behind me, it was just too much for me. Just that night Jim, a Maori Kiwi and a wise friend here came by. He told me about all the rules and laws and scared me but he also gave me a goal for the next day. He showed me his Pounamu (Greenstone), the God Stone/ Peace Stone of the Maori tales, which he got from another Maori friend on the campground the days before. A Stone maker, his name: Dan.

I found this guy, a story, my interest in stones and much more by looking for a gift for a friend from a friend in love.

Dan and Jill were some of the last people on the campground. I told Dan the story and he took out the stones and his stories.

Out of heaps of stones, I picked your stone.

Tangi Wai - Tears of Sorrow/ Tears of Love.

The legend is about a great warrior, trying to rescue his love, but he was too light in his canoe and couldn't rescue her in the end. This stone symbolized his tears.

I talked for a while with Dan and Jill, about God, the world at the moment, my depression, Dan's depression and his way to Jesus Christ which gave me hope and trust, my fears. I got a new friend through this simple question, an honest new friend, after a short time but I feel a lot of trust and an open heart. I felt welcome, just asking for a stone/ a gift. Not just a product to buy.

Dan, do you remember, when we did this rafting trip in our team. It was the best rafting, I have ever done and will ever do. A boat of friends, grade 5 river, adventure on a beautiful day. You were the guide, because you were the best of us and we trusted you. In the end Jana felt out. You/We couldn't do anything to help here. I've never seen you more worried, not about stupid cancelled trip with customers or anything else. We all felt with you and luckily it was a Happy end but it also showed us the unpredictability of nature again. From pure fun to something else, I can't put into words.

This stone I'm wearing at the moment on your behalf has already brought me so many stories and reminds me of so many friends and times. I'm waiting for the time when I can pass it on.

When the Maori were arriving at the west coast they were looking for the God Stone/ Peace Stone and the found Pounamu, after a while a lot of them referring to Dan found their belief in Jesus Christ as well.

However, I went on to Lake Hawea and in Hawea I found all this coloured and painted stones with little messages for me and you. Only good positive words. The stones in Hawea were speaking. I went back to the hostel and in an apple tree I found a friendship wristband for my stone. The wristband was too wide for my stone whole and it broke. It makes me happy, because it means that I have to work on my stone.

Kia ora hoa Pounamu Tangi Wai!

A few weeks later on a SUP trip I brought some stones from lake Hawea back to the hostel to get creative and bring some beauty to Wanaka as well. I painted a few stones with my own creative signs.

A cross combined with a double smiley stands for

BELIEVE in Happiness, Dreams and God's plan for you. The upper smiley stands for the sky protecting your happiness from the top but reaches to the sky, while the under smiley reminds you, where you're from and settling you on the ground!

More LOVE: A upside down double heart in heart reminds me to believe in Love and only in Love!, because Love is the answer for everything. Live, Love, Laugh. Be kind! Give Love and you will get more love back!