I have always been a prayer—not the word thing, a person who prays. I don’t know how else to write it. I was raised Catholic and learned prayers. In stressful moments, praying helped me calm down and know that things would change for the better. I believe praying or whatever meditative ritual you believe in is essential for a healthy mind.

When we pray, we can tap into the energy around us and amplify our words. This has been difficult for me because I’ve been wrapped tighter than a spool of Stren. (A fisherman or woman would get that one.) I couldn’t let go and believe everything is working out as it should be. I wanted things quickly, help quickly, get out of the situation quickly, and if I felt that praying wasn’t working, I’d get angry and feel sorry for myself. I’ve come to realize that things work out when we are ready for them to work out. One thing that can offer help along the way is crystals.

I’ve had this amethyst crystal for a long time. It was sitting in a bowl on display. I didn’t know all the benefits of crystals and saw them as really cool rocks. I love rocks and always have. I used to play with them as a little girl, making forts for my brother’s green army men.

Never thinking my love of building with rocks would stick with me into adulthood, I moved into a house with no yard. There was a fallen slope of dirt because the next-door property is so much higher than our yard, held up by picker bushes and not much else. I had a small child and wanted a yard for her. True to my nature, I saw a problem and found a solution. No one told me to do it. I just knew what to do. I had to build a retaining wall. It turned out to be a 50-foot dry stacked stone retaining wall with some rocks, probably around 60 lbs.

For several months, I drove my father’s plumbing truck to construction sites by myself and asked the construction crew if I could have some rocks. I went to multiple sites multiple times. Once home, I’d park on the flat and take them out, one by one, and put them into my daughter’s Radio Flyer red wagon and pull them down to my house. The heavy loads made it very challenging to get down the one step that went into our yard. I could still feel how my teeth clenched taking the wagon’s wheels over the step. It clunked loudly with about a few hundred pounds in it, I’m sure. The wagon was truly incredible to handle that much weight over and over for months. After I scraped up the bed from the rock moving, I cleaned and painted it, and it looked brand new. I think my daughter still has it.

I don’t know why I didn’t take before-and-after photos of the wall before it was built. But here are photos of part of the finished wall. I enjoyed doing it. It was heavy work and took a long time to complete, but I think it was because I felt connected to the earth, and it grounded me somehow. During that time, I was going through a lot of stress, but when I put my gloves on and built that wall, I forgot all about that.

The best rock experience I’ve ever had was seeing the motherload of granite at Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Bar Habor, Maine. It was incredible to see.

Close to us is the boulder field at Hickory Run State Park, with rocks as far as the eye can see that make your jaw drop in wonder.

Anyway, I’ve always loved rocks but didn’t know that crystals had power. People in tune with the spirit of the earth have been aware of this and tapping into it for centuries. Sadly, the use of crystals for healing, grounding, etc., became traditionally known for being associated with witchcraft, superstition, or metaphysical mumbo jumbo. Those people who didn’t know or didn’t want to know about crystals made up stories to protect themselves, and like most storytelling, it lives on through people.

I didn’t learn about crystals because I didn’t think there was anything to know. They were pretty rocks. But then, curious about a rose quartz obelisk I had on my desk to hold down papers, I learned that the rose quartz has properties to improve relationships by putting it on the west side of your home. I did it. I thought, why not? It’s supposed to help make relationships harmonious and happy and who doesn’t want that? Well, a few months after I placed it there, I got married. My husband and I were together for 27 years before that. I move the rose quartz and we’re married. Hum, I think there might be something to the idea that crystals give off energy and can help us.

So, like any person who wanted to change or improve their life, I bought a book on crystals and wanted a few small ones to carry around with me. There’s actually a really cool rock/gem store near me, The Copper Pyramid. The woman who owns the store was very helpful and asks you questions about what’s going on in your life. Then she steers you to the crystals that can help. Each crystal is in a glass bowl with a description of them so it makes it easy to pick which one would be right for you.

Everything has energy coming from it: us, the trees, crystals, and rocks, to name a few. Scientists, metaphysical gurus, and people on YouTube with life experiences all reinforce the idea that we are all connected. Believing that crystals have the power to heal, calm, or inspire allows us to connect to their power. I don’t think it’s wishy-washy stuff anymore. I’ve experienced it myself.  I bought three crystals and carry them with me or they are on my desk near me. The green suede pouch is from Etsy. It’s easier to carry them with the pouch.

Clear quartz: called the “Universal Crystal” because of its many uses and is beneficial for manifesting, healing, meditation, protection and channeling. Due to its ability to balance, quartz is excellent for harmonizing and stabilizing one’s environment and is helpful in romantic relationships. (Fire Mountain Gems)

Black Tourmaline: Tourmaline has traces of iron that can help fight off a nightmare and help you have a restful sleep. Helps clear negativity: Black tourmaline crystal is one of those healing crystals that can help provide protection and elimination of negative energy. (earthinspiredgifts.com.au)

If you’re interested in seeing how crystals can help you, research them. Do a Google search asking why crystals are good for us. You’ll be surprised at what you find.

Thank you for reading this.

To crystals,

Francesca