One of the young boys who helped make the RadJoy Bird at "Gallows Hill," Waterford, Ireland, Global Earth Exchange 2015. Photo by Paul Fearon

On Saturday, June 20, Radical Joy for Hard Times presented our sixth annual Global Earth Exchange , the day when people around the world go to wounded places they care about and bring them attention and simple acts of beauty. Visit our website to read the remarkable stories and see the photos.

One story in particular holds an important message about this work we do together.

Katherine Peacock and Paul Fearon held their Global Earth Exchange at Gallows Hill, Waterford, Ireland, a historic site where public hangings once occurred and that now overlooks a low-income housing area. Paul began drumming shortly after he arrived and, attracted by the sound, several young boys showed up. They, too, wanted to drum, and hearing the joyful noise, a few neighbors came to their doorways and applauded.

Paul then explained that they needed to make a bird out of materials on the land. He writes: "I began to collect beer cans and bottles and asked the boys, 'Where will we make the bird?' As I picked up articles, the boys suggested where they should be placed. I told them it's ok if the bird breaks up or is blown away."

One of the boys decided to make a second bird of his own. However, he didn't want his picture taken with it. "Wouldn't it be great when they see the bird and they wonder who did that?" he said.

There is something very profound in what this young boy says. When we make beauty for places and beings that have fallen on hard times, we do it not for posterity or praise. We do it because it is the one right thing we can do in the moment for a place we love that's fallen on hard times: an act that is direct, spontaneous, heartfelt, creative, bold, imperfect, ephemeral--and gorgeous.  

We envision a world in which all people make beauty for all wounded places, knowing that it will be great when people see this and wonder who made it--and then perhaps add to that beauty themselves.