You Can't Close Your Heart...

As time goes on I find I'm getting braver and more overt with my drops.

This morning for instance, I left a heart with only a minute and a half to spare before catching a bus home. The drop was left near by the last drop, in a planter outside of a chocolatier with two ladies sitting in the window enjoying coffee and croissants right in front of where I placed the envelope.

You can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel
-Johnny Depp

Whether these ladies noticed the drop is really something I didn't pay attention to beyond noticing they were there. If nothing else they may have noticed the Bean (my youngest sprout) in my arms as I placed the heart beneath the topiary. She (the Bean) has got cheeks that don't end and they tend to attract attention. I placed the heart, took a few photos and walked quickly away to catch the bus home. All directly in front of the two customers and without heart pounding anxiety.

On the one hand I like the idea of anonymity in the interaction of finding the heart. On the other, I wonder if seeing someone doing something a little out of the ordinary; like carefully placing an envelope in a planter, on a bench or inside a dairy case before taking a few photographs and walking away; will invite a closer look at that envelope?

After the April 16 drop and the near witness of a finding, Being a little more obtrusive in the act of a drop feels easier to do. While the motivation for this project is to leave these positive messages and hearts behind to be found I can't deny that a little feedback, even as small as the idea that someone has seen the act is reinforcement to continue on.

So the project is evolving.

Feeling like a voyeur

Dropped at the bus stop on Hastings

So the last time I posted was just before the last drop. I try to post images on the facebook page as soon as possible after a drop so that if the heart is found there will be some evidence for the finder. If I can't get to a blog posting right away the facebook page is an easy and quick way to check in.

I did this drop with my daughters in tow. The two year old was oblivious to what we were up to, but the six year old was beside herself with excitement. What if someone found it while we were there? what if someone saw us "hide" the envelope? What if they asked us if it was ours? All the things that run through my mind when I do a drop spoken out loud and with the barely suppressed excitement of an excited child let in on a big secret.

We placed our envelope in the slats of the bus shelter and took some photographs. Then we moved a little ways away to give the drop some distance while we waited for our bus to arrive. We had a bit of a wait for our bus and I didn't want to crowd the drop in case someone did come along.

Someone did come along soon after, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest as I tried to get the six year old to act casual as a woman walked out of the bakery and over to the bench. She sat next to the drop and we were able to watch as she read, but did not pick up the dropped heart. Our bus came and we left for home.

I've lingered around after a drop a few times hoping to catch a finding in the act but this was the first time that I've been so close to witnessing a find. Our heart was not there the next day which could mean any number of things could have happened all of which I've listed in other posts here.

If you've found your way here from a found heart let me know. Follow this blog and or the facebook page, comment or just come back for another read sometime to see what where I've dropped another heart.

March 8 2013

There's a pain, a famine in your heart, an aching to be free- M. Gore

Today's heart was left in the dairy case at one of the local Safeway store in Burnaby. If you found this heart please leave a comment to let me know it's found a home.

February 19 2013

Since I started to leave hearts around my neighborhood for people to find I've noticed my spirits are up and I'm smiling more. I'm hoping that the hearts I've left to be found bring smiles to the finders. 

I'm also feeling a strong desire to re-read The Night Circus; the book I left one of my hearts in on Valentines Day at the McGill library. If it's still there I may take it out and place that heart somewhere else for someone to find.

The heart that has truly loved never forgets.

Today I dropped off a lone heart outside a school program in a stroller tray. If you found your way here via that heart, welcome. Leave a comment to let me know you got it. You can also like the facebook page for this project too.

a

February 14 2013

Valentines Day seemed like an appropriate date to start a project which has a heart as it's theme. I spent my afternoon carefully folding waxed paper envelopes and making fortune cookie like quotes with this blog address and the facebook page for my heart finders to use to get here or there. If you found a heart and followed it here let me know in the comments or on the facebook page by commenting and liking the page. I'm really looking forward to meeting you there, or here.

Pictures of the February 14 Heart Drop
and their drop locations