Rock Fairy Inspires Joy

Homeowners these days seem to be looking over their shoulders as news of break-ins and burglaries proliferate the local news. But in many valley neighborhoods, spanning from Studio City to Sherman Oaks and Valley Glen, when neighbors approach their front doors, instead of cautiously looking over their shoulders, they are optimistically looking down to see if they are the lucky recipient of an unexpected delivery: a hand painted rock. Completely unsolicited, people have no idea why the now named "Rock Fairy" has bestowed upon them a one of a kind piece of art. Being at the receiving end of such a giving gesture is uniting a community into believing what so many hope for, the goodness in people, the kindness in others.

News of the "Rock Fairy" making secret and surprise deliveries in neighborhoods spanning from Studio City to Sherman Oaks and Valley Glen quickly spread among social media, most notably, the popular neighborhood email chain; "NextDoor". Neighbors began posting news of their treasured gifts, sharing their unexpected joy on the website. Various threads describing the happiness people feel when they received a rock gift began a few weeks ago when the Rock Fairy first made the special deliveries.

Ilene, a NextDoor member posted she is going through a "personal health challenge" and said her rock creation had a healing effect on her life as it reminded her of the good out there in the world. Gary Blessin says finding his rock art on his front porch has been for him, a source of "inspiration and happiness." And Craig Peterson says in the year and a half he’s been on Nextdoor, the Rock Fairy email threads are the best posts he's seen; "positive and inspiring". And he’s not alone. Whether people have been visited by the Rock Fairy or not, it is one thread on NextDoor with which everyone agrees: It is a remarkable reminder of what is pure altruism, goodness and generosity in our sometimes dangerous, scary and troubled world. The simple gesture of giving something beautiful to someone, without them asking, without them knowing from whom or why, is giving an entire community hope and joy. Hope that true and loving virtues still permeate our society, and even hope that they too could maybe be a Rock Fairy recipient. And all agree, the Rock Fairy is spreading joy throughout our valley communities. And of course, the Rock Fairy’s deliveries have been a source of inspiration to people to pay it forward in their own way. Wendy Brogin encourages her neighbors to “all try to bring the joy that the Rock Fairy brings to our neighbors”. Someone on NextDoor even queried about the possibility of finding out who the Rock Fairy is, but Janine Milne, a NextDoor subscriber says the Rock Fairy is magical and would never want his or her identity to be revealed. (In case anyone ever captured the Rock Fairy’s image on a security camera and wanted to post it). She says not knowing is part of the magic and mystery of the rock giving phenomena.

People are not just extolling the virtues of the Rock Fairy’s kind gesture and the happiness and joy it brings. They too are praising the talent of the Rock Fairy’s artistry calling the pieces “beautiful”, “works of art”, “treasures” and “keepsakes”. You don't have to be visited by the Rock Fairy to be touched by the uplifting and optimistic influence it carries throughout or neighborhoods. Just read the posts yourselves. Gratitude, beauty, happiness and joy. A random act of kindness changing the way we think about one another.

Written By:

Donna Mendes

Tremendes4@gmail.com