What are the chances of finding a second IFAQH in less than a year? It must have been my lucky day as I took a stroll around the Kent Green in Kent, CT, May 7, 2025, taking in the sights, sounds, and floral fragrances of a lovely spring day. I took a path off the road and rounded the corner by the Kent Welcome Center where I spotted a beige, heart-shaped ornament dangling from a satin ribbon on a budding hydrangea bush. I held my breath as I turned it over, hoping to find the official tag on the front. And there it was—hand-stitched with a red, berry-bud fabric and two buttons on the front—one with a beautiful owl design that echoed the subtle shades of beige and rose. “I Need a Home!” it read, and I welcomed it in. I am always on the lookout for signs from above: a moment in time when you spontaneously find a tangible object that was meant for you or the nudge of that intuitive voice within that steers you in the right direction. Since my first find, I have made several of these lovely hearts and placed them about, hoping their discovery would brighten someone’s day as they did mine. I am forever grateful to the person who made this one and left it in a public place frequented by local folk, visitors, and hikers of the nearby Appalachian Trail. Where did they come from? Did they travel far? What were they feeling that day? As with all good intentions, I believe the more you give the more you receive—you just have to have an open heart.
