In community, people name and claim their fears and hopes and take responsibility for both. In April 2000, the Council of Aboriginal Leaders met in Perth with Bliss Browne to share stories of being dispossessed, of having their culture destroyed, of searching for identity. Dawn Gilchrist, an aboriginal health outreach worker, decided to open the next gathering by passing around a painted rock: "As the rock comes around, I invite you to name something in your life this week that has given you hope." By the time the rock had moved around the circle, it was almost too hot to hold. Dawn gave the rock to Bliss as a gift.

The next weekend, at a teacher retreat in Chicago, Bliss opened the circle with Dawn’s rock, asking, "What is one thing in your classroom this week that has given you hope?" As the teachers shared their stories, hope gained power. Later that year in Greece, conference attendees who heard the story decided to gather rocks on a nearby beach and then share their stories of those with whom they planned to claim hope. Dawn’s hope has now circled the world!