Smooth rock

Natural geological processes, date unknown

Igneous stone

Dimensions variable

Found object; gifted by Gabbi Knapp

Personal collection

This object is a rock that was given to me by a friend near the end of my time in high school. While it is technically historical, I consider it an object of the present, as it speaks to my present conception of friendship. The friend who gave me this rock enjoyed going for long walks in forests, and she had a habit of picking up rocks that caught her eye. She gave this one to me because it is incredibly smooth, which makes holding it very soothing. I am a relatively anxious person, and simple things that can provide me with a sense of calm have always been very meaningful to me.

I thought of this rock after choosing to include a friendship pendant as a museum object, because to me this rock seemed to be a present-day version of a necklace. This rock was my friend’s small and simple way of establishing a physical manifestation of the intangible connection that was our friendship. The rock, like the friendship necklace, is unremarkable by nature. I have collected numerous rocks throughout my life, and most of them I have eventually disposed of, but this one remains. I think I kept this particular rock for the same reason that I kept the friendship necklace – it was a gift from a friend who I may not have remained particularly close to, but who nonetheless had a meaningful impact on my life and identity. T

he rock represents a more developed comprehension of friendship, however, because it reflects my friend’s unique understanding of my identity. She gave me an object that would help bring me simple comfort in moments of anxiety, because she recognized that feeling overwhelmed by anxiety at times is a basic part of my personal experience. In giving me this object, she sought not only to create a tangible representation of our connection, but also to express the personal understanding underlying that connection. The world is currently in a state of flux, and this is forcing us to rethink the way that we express our connections to one another. Luckily, understanding and empathy do not necessarily need to be expressed through physical representation. These physical representations are in essence about storytelling, and storytelling exists in infinite forms. This online museum contains multitudes of stories, and my hope is that it will inspire others to tell their own stories about simple connections that create meaning.

Hannah Stewart