By Gretchen W. TenBrook

From sea shells to sea glass, the beach here in Hull offers her treasures to us on a daily basis.

For me, this has mostly come in the form of heart-shaped rocks. I cannot seem to go a few steps along the shore without noticing them all around me! This pastime of sorts has been revealing to me in so many ways. I wanted to share a bit of what I am discovering with the Hull community – literally and figuratively – as I sense I am not alone in appreciating all the natural wonder and wisdom that surrounds us here.

**HEARTY COLLECTION.** Finding heart-shaped rocks during her walks along Nantasket Beach inspired Gretchen TenBrook to begin collecting the stones of all sizes and displaying them near the Cook comfort station on Hull Shore Drive near Phipps Street. [Courtesy photo]

I cannot remember exactly when I first started noticing heart-shaped rocks, but once I found myself returning from walks with more than I could carry, I began to wonder what my fascination with them was – why was this happening? As a spiritual person, I am always seeking the invitations that surface in the circumstances of my life, and nature is a frequent source of those.

At first, the message I heard was this: Love is everywhere! It was as if the rocks were appearing in abundance to remind me of this reality. Yes, love is indeed everywhere, and we just need eyes to see it. With this perspective, I began to see and look for love hidden in the people, places, and things around me. And for opportunities to be that love. What a powerful and empowering mindset! Suddenly that grumpy grocery clerk became someone who needed my patience and kindness instead of an irritant to add to my day.

Taking this a step further, another lesson has been this: what I train myself to see has a way of showing up, heart shaped rocks and beyond. The more I ponder this, the more I am amazed by the fact that with intention, discipline, and practice, I have the ability to call into my life what I choose to, and to minimize what I don’t. It is a matter of where I focus my attention. I look for beauty everywhere, and it keeps showing up for me, from hibiscus blossoms to my boyfriend’s patient, listening ear. There is an endless supply of what I chose to see.

As my heart-shaped rock collection began to grow beyond my ability to count, I began to wonder what to do with them all. Even more, I found myself pondering why I was keeping them all to myself and how I might share them with others. I wanted to create something with them that might be a source of inspiration to others. Yes, I wanted to find a way to be the love and beauty that these rocks have invited me to be.

With this in mind, last November I began bringing the rocks to a plot of grass near the flagpole at the north end of Nantasket Beach. With each visit, I would arrange them into the collection you see in the photo. It felt like a prayer of sorts to me – a way to create something beautiful with the love in my heart, and a way to trust that something beautiful would come of it. A way to invite others to “Share Your Hull Heart.” Why keep such a beautiful, powerful thing to ourselves?

Whatever you love, I invite you to find it within yourself, look for it around you, and then offer it back. And if you need some inspiration, I hope you will visit the collection of heart rocks. Maybe they will have a message for you. Or maybe you have your own to offer, heart shaped and beyond.

Yes, love is everywhere, and we just need eyes to see it, and the courage to express it!