You never know whose soul your art might feed.
Karma. The wolf that you feed grows stronger. Virtuous cycle. Vicious cycle. You get what you give. What goes around, comes around. There a many words across cultures to describe these energetic loops or returns — that the energy you create comes back to you in good measure.
The Call
Earlier this month, I discovered a beautiful shared community garden by the main river here in Zürich – LeseGartenZimmer (“reading garden room”), created as a calm place to read with a small free library. I recently wrote here about my love of community art projects like this. It is magical and I spent some time there in quiet companionship with others.
I sat on a swinging bench and took photos of shady leaves and bright flowers, then went home and made a simple mini zine with my photos:
I made this as a little gift of gratitude to the garden, and returned on foot to leave them in the little library:
I numbered and signed them. It included messages in German and English, handwritten details, and even a photo of the library itself as a bit of a meta touch. I left them under a little rock on the shelf.
The Response
A few days after I did this, I received some news from my family of origin in the United States. Profoundly sad news, the kind that leaves a hole in the center of a family and community. At the time, I was sitting at the desk where I am now, writing my Friday journal for this, which I never finished or posted. The next few days were a surreal blur.
Then last Sunday, I see this in my Gmail inbox:
Subject: What a lovely surprise in the garden…
[…] It feels like a poem in paper form — a gesture that reflects exactly what the garden hopes to offer: space for attention, connection and beauty. […]
I looked to the sky and thanked the universe for the return of the gift.
The echo of a wish, a dream — a stone in a cosmic pond.
The warmth of kind strangers in a new city where I still do not know many people.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for hearing and returning my call.
Put your art out there.
Be vulnerable and strange.
Be kind and random.
You never know whose eyes or ears or soul it may find and feed.
It may even be your own.
xoxo
⎡JILL⎦
JILL.DESIGN 
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