My Pet Rock

 The Rock of Snohomish

When I was in high school, having a pet rock was all the rage.  Who'd have thought that you could put an ordinary, dirty rock into a miniature wood crate with some straw, glue it all down and make thousands of dollars?  I only wish that I would have thought of it. 

In my family, we weren't allowed to have pets that weren't birds, fish or turtles, so when the whole "Pet Rock" thing happened, I was one of the first of my social circle to have one.  It was my way of getting back at my parents, who thought it was a total waste of my hard earned money, and were completely embarrassed by the huge display of my pet and its environment in our home.

Here it is, almost 40 years later, and I have a new pet rock, only it's too big to live in my house.  Instead it lives in the city of Snohomish, on the corner of Bickford and Hwy. 9.  

Over the last 10 years, I have seen this rock change colors, symbols, salutations and announcements.  Sometimes it's graffiti, sometimes a deliberate, profoundly creative work of art that goes on display.  I have always been entertained by the humor that is often the motive for the poking fun at various groups in our city.  I have a secret fear that someday I will be the butt of somebody's cruel joke.  

In all the years that I have lived here, I have never once seen anyone paint that rock.  Do they do it during the day?  And if not, how do they manage the amazing designs in the dark of the night?

Last week, I noticed that the rock was painted after a near-fatal attack on two teenage girls at Snohomish High.  Both girls survived, but it was a close call for one of them.  The rock of Snohomish sent a message of love, hope and prayer from students all around the area. 

When I saw the back side of the rock which said "Small town, big heart" referring to Snohomish, it hit me...this is not just a rock to decorate, it is an icon for this town.  It is a bearer of sad news (football), an invitation to homecoming, a lovenote to someone special, an angry shout from those too afraid to face their foes, a new baby announcement, a proposal...the list goes on and on.  It is a community billboard where words represent the heart of the people.

I have started documenting the changes that occur on this Snohomish monument with my camera.  I will be posting the previous shots that I have taken over the last few weeks, but because of the significance of the message displayed this time, it came first.

I am so happy to see a community come together after such a senseless crime and the despair it created. 

This rock truly has a big, big heart.