Kindness rocks

A rock-solid hobby for Christina Smith

BY SARAH MEAD

On his way to school one morning, an eight-year-old boy spies a brightly colored object peeking out from under a leaf. He bends down to check it out and finds . . . a rock. Painted to resemble a puppy, this is no ordinary rock. He tucks it into his pocket as he smiles. Across town, an orthodontist is unlocking the office door when she catches something out of the corner of her eye. She picks up a rock painted like a tooth with the words “Follow Your Dreams” written in bold lettering. She holds it in her hand and chuckles. Locals are finding painted rocks everywhere in Victor: at the library, on hiking trails, even at the foot of their own mailboxes and porches. Someone here has started a movement, and her kindness has become contagious.

Christina Smith was working as a registered nurse on the Surgical Oncology floor at Strong Memorial Hospital when her husband, Dan, came home with a painted rock he found on a work trip in North Carolina. Smith says, “I thought it was the coolest idea and decided to start it up locally.” That’s when she started painting.

When she’s not taking care of patients or spending time with her family, Smith treats herself to a long run. An avid runner since the age of twelve, she was named first team All-American for cross country in high school and was part of the world record 100 x 1-mile running team, completing her first marathon shortly after graduating from college. Besides the obvious health benefits, she loves to run as a way to de-stress.

Combining her love of running with her newfound hobby was the obvious next step. She stashes many of her rocks on local trails, parks, and playgrounds. “I love hiding the rocks because it encourages people to get outside and be active,” she says.

She formed a public Facebook group called Victor, NY Rocks and paints the name of the group on the bottom of the rocks she hides around town. The rules of the group are simple: If you find a rock, post a picture. You can keep the rock, or you can hide it in a new spot and imagine who might find it. You can also paint your own rocks and hide those, too. People of all ages love to check in online to post their finds before rehiding them. Sometimes they give clues on where to look! Painters love to check in and see who ended up finding their rock and how far they traveled. Neighbors share tips on what materials they use and where to find the best rocks for painting.

Many of her rocks have positive messages such as “Just Be You” and “You are Loved.” New members often post thoughts of gratitude like “I really needed this today” and “You made my day” along with “You gave me such a good laugh. Thank you!” The group has already grown to almost two-thousand members. People have asked to purchase her beautiful creations and her response is always the same, “You can’t buy one—you’ll have to find one!” You can find these treasures on the Auburn Trail, one of Christina’s favorite places to run and a popular spot for Victor residents to walk, bike, and jog. Around Thanksgiving, she left a giant rock on the trail that simply said “I’m thankful for…” After a few days, it had dozens of neighboring rocks painted with responses like “family,” “love, “school,” “friends,” and “music.”

Christina Smith Smith says that her favorites to paint are those with the circular mandala patterns. “Sometimes I don’t have a set idea in my head: I just pick up the paintbrush and let my mind wander.” Her favorite rocks to find are those created by children because, “they have the best imaginations and make the cutest rocks!”

For those wondering how to get started, Smith recommends using Apple Barrel acrylic paints and a Modge Podge (nonwater based) sealant. Visitors to “Victor, NY Rocks” on Facebook can find many other tips and plenty of ideas.

More painting is definitely in Smith’s future. “You don’t need any special talent to make someone smile,” she says. But her special talent is teaching us all that a little bit of kindness goes a long way. And it really ROCKS!