Whitley Bay is on the northeast coast of England. Back in April during that COVID lockdown, beachgoers, mostly out for the exercise, had taken to creating dozens of pebble stacks along the beach. The above image comes from Pixabay but check out this very short BBC story for some of the actual images.
IMPORTANT NOTE: On trails and in national parks, stone piles can serve as trail markers or have cultural significance. Read this article in the Washington Post for more on why you should not touch existing markers and not build your own in public spaces.
On a SPIRITUAL NOTE: Stacking stones is a meditative practice that brings a sense of presence and mindfulness. Setting one on top of the other requires balance and patience—a reminder to the builder—while each stone might represent a prayer or a thought of gratitude. Maybe that was the intention in Whitley Bay. It was something someone could do to bring hope, patience, balance, and beauty in a time when it felt like there was nothing we could do. Perhaps a stone was placed to say 'I was here, too. We're in this together.' And so it seems there is always something we can do to make a difference. =)
Image: Efraimstochter on Pixabay