And the story goes ...

08 January 2005: When Tom and I lived in Brookings, Oregon, we enjoyed long walks on the beach with Harry, one of our cats. He explored along the driftwood looking for small critters living there. As we explored this new environment, I became fascinated with the textures, colors, and patterns in the driftwood. The larger pieces of driftwood were deposited on the beach during the tsunami caused by the Alaskan earthquake in 1964. The driftwood often changed after each storm. One day as we were walking, I saw this heart-shaped stone nestled in this piece of interesting driftwood. Today, our hearts ache for those who have been washed away by the tsunami in Western Asia and Eastern Africa and for those who have been injured and find themselves without their basic needs. Mother Nature has shown us how life can be washed away with a wave, a powerful reminder that we should make the most of our time on this living planet.