A turtle stone and collaborators

Volume of lives vol.2
"Volume of Lives - Vol.2"
Volume of lives vol.1
"Volume of Lives - Vol.1"

in May 2008, I collected turtle project's stones which are "Volume of Lives - Vol.1" and "Volume of Lives - Vol.2".
It already passed 6 years after I have developed small stones to collaborators. Some collaborators who had been a student are started their adult life. Some collaborators who had been disappointed in love are mother. Some collaborators who had been office worker have left his/her job on reaching retiring age. There are many lives of each collaborator for five or six years.
There is a story that wrings my heart.
I sent emails to each collaborator for asking to send back a stone to me. A young collaborator's father replied to my email, "there is one small numbered stone in my daughter's room, she has cherished it. Is this stone that you ask her?". I returned email, "Yes, it is. Could you tell me how she is if you are allowed,". Next day I received a short email from her father, "My daughter died a month ago".
I received her stone a few days after.
Some days later, I put many stones together into one block of first shape. Her stone is still living and keeping her memories with many friends in the "Volume of Lives".


Copyright © Atsuo Okamoto