Hearts

Growing up I secretly LOVED hearts . . . however, my mother on the other hand did not.  She actually told me “hearts are dumb”.  We didn’t have a heart in the house.  And I was always afraid I would be in trouble if I liked hearts.  Maybe that’s why Valentine’s Day has always been such a favorite holiday of mine, it was the only day of the year where I could get away with making hearts to my little heart’s content! So for many years I stifled that inner love of hearts.  Even after I got married I was so afraid of my mother’s extreme dislike of hearts that I was afraid to let my love of them show!

Thankfully, I FINALLY got the courage to not only express my love of hearts, but to put them all over my house – inside and out!  A few years ago, I was able to go on the dream vacation of my life – Switzerland!!! 

My ancestors are from the Emmental Valley in the tiny Alp village of Eggiwill.  When we moved to our new home 14 years ago, we discovered one of our neighbors was born in Switzerland!  The first time I heard him speak, there was a familial connection, and he reminded me so much of my Grandpa Stauffer!  Come to find out, we are actually distant relatives!!!!  He was born and raised in Interlaken, a short drive from Eggiwill!  Ron and I became fast friends of this incredible couple, and have learned so much in life from them. 

Ron travels to Germany on occasion for work, and a few years ago he won a trip that I was invited to join him on.  When our friends found out we would be in Germany, they invited us to come and stay with them for a week at their home in Interlaken.  Ron and I spent a week in Northern Germany, where he went on machinery tours during the day, and I was pampered beyond anything I had EVER experienced!  Being the home body I am, after the week was over, I was so homesick!!!  As we boarded the high speed train in Hanover, I remember thinking I just wanted to go home. 

The train ride took us down through the length of Germany, and suddenly the terrain began to change dramatically. 

The fertile fields of Northern Germany soon became the stunning beauty of mountain alps, and the clear glacial fed turquoise rivers of Switzerland! 

I was so overcome by the beauty and thoughts of my ancestral roots, that tears dripped from my face as we continued to our destination in Interlaken.  By the time we arrived it was dark, and I couldn’t see what surrounded us.  Our friend met us at the train station, and we made the short trip to their 350 year old home, which has been totally gutted and redone with all the modern conveniences.  We settled into our luxurious bedroom, and slept wonderfully.  In the morning, I opened the drapes to a scene that made me want to start singing “The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music” – which I didn’t do - thankfully for everyone else!  Singing is not, and never will be one of my talents, but my heart sang as I experienced the majestic beauty around me!!! 

That week was beyond magical as our hosts showed us all the wonderful places they so loved, and I soon saw why!!!  I can’t remember how many times Ron and I said, “I wouldn’t believe this is real if I were not witnessing it myself!”  One of our days, we drove along the Lake of Thun (pronounced Toone), and stopped at a small home décor shop on the edge of the clear turquoise waters of the lake.  It was filled with the most stunning metal hearts I’d ever seen!!!  I think this is where my love of hearts FINALLY came out!!!  I bought as many as I knew would fit in my suitcase, and wanted to buy more!!!  I didn’t know what I was going to do with them, it was as if something had released inside me, and my love of HEARTS came spilling out!!!!  I had seen some of these similar hearts hanging in the window of a flower store, near our quaint boutique hotel in Germany.  We left early each morning and got home late each night, and the store was always closed.  I was so sad because some of those hearts were green, my favorite color green at that!

As we finished shopping in Thun, we continued our drive to the Emmental Valley.  I kept seeing the most adorable heart wreaths made from metal and rocks that had been drilled and threaded onto a metal heart frame in people’s yards! 

One of my other loves in life from the time I was small is rocks!!!  So to see a heart made of rocks brought such joy to my own heart!  I was on the lookout for the rest of our time there to see if I could find one to buy.  I didn’t know how I would get it home, but I HAD to have one of those for my front porch!!!  Sadly, I came home without one, but KNEW I would find one someday!!!!  The hearts in my suitcase soon found places in our home where I look at them every day, and love them just as much as the day I found them!  AND not only that, I was able to contact one of the women I had become friends with in Germany!  I told her about the metal hearts I had seen in the window of the flower shop.  I sent her money, and she bought all that I wanted and shipped them to me.  She loved them so much, she bought one too, and even changed the accent color of her kitchen to match the lovely shade of her deep lime green heart!  To thank her, I made her an apron to match – she loves to cook. 

After we got home, I tried to find a rock heart online, and couldn’t find anything at all.  I then began to search for ways to drill rocks and somehow make my own.  Ron is generally more than happy to help me with my crazy projects, but I always know when I have pushed his limits when he gives me a certain look.  That look means, “I am not going to do this crazy thing you want me to do, but good luck on figuring it out on your own which I’m sure you will because that’s what you do.”  I let it go for a while, but it was always in the back of my mind and I WOULD figure out a way to get my rock heart!!!  Then we had the opportunity to go back to Switzerland again a couple years later.  Ron spent a week in Germany with his machines, and I flew over to meet him with our friends.  This time, I bought the biggest suitcase allowable and took it empty for one reason and one reason only.  Somehow, someway it would be carrying a rock heart home inside it!!! 

This trip was also magical, and we saw many other parts of Switzerland including the Matterhorn!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a weed there.  The cows don’t eat alfalfa, they graze in meadows of wildflowers!!!  There are amazing plant nurseries all over Switzerland, and this time, the one in Interlaken had rock hearts!!!!  I wanted the big one, but had to be realistic about the size of my suitcase, so I got the little one.  It barely fit, and was 3 pounds over, but the nice lady at the airport let it go.  I could hardly wait to get home and put it on my front porch.  A heart for all the world to see!!!  Something I would never again be afraid to admit – I LOVE HEARTS!!!  And I wanted everyone to know that hearts are good, and cute, and fun, and happy!!!!  Hearts are NOT dumb!  

A few months after we returned home from this magical trip, my doorbell rang, and my friend was standing there with a rock heart!!!  JUST like the ones I had seen in the Emmental Valley!!!  She had found it at a second hand store in Park City.  I now had two of them!!!  Since then, I have found two more, and would have an entire garden full if I could!  I’m not sure what it is about rocks and hearts but they bring me joy, LIGHT, and a smile to my face. 

Hearts are not just for Valentine’s Day, but can be a daily reminder of the things that are good in life!!! 

Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind.  Be led by the dreams in your heart.  May we live life with all our heart and soul!  The heart does not exist solely for the purpose of pumping blood.  May we feel the desire and need to share our HEART and our LIGHT with the world.

Love Ya, Les 