Sahara's story

In June 2005, as I was driving on the streets of San Francisco, I looked to my right and noticed a man in probably his 50's sitting on a bench crying. For whatever reason, I noticed him and was extremely impacted by the sight. Feeling raw and open from the end of my own six-year relationship, I was in a transformative place; feeling empowered, curious and humbled by the mystery and beauty of life. I had a feeling of limitlessness; anything could happen, at any time, and I could end up anywhere on the planet. This sensation liberated me from fear or doubt. I was open, ready and willing; for what, I did not yet know.

As I passed the man, my first instinct was to buy him flowers. I certainly did not want to intrude upon his space, but felt an overwhelming desire to extend myself. I drove quickly around the corner to the nearest market for the flowers. They, of course, did not have any! So I drove back around the block hoping to encounter him once again. Why? I had no idea at the time. Had I even thought for a moment about what I was doing, I may have stopped myself. But the beauty was that I didn't. I just followed every impulse that came in each moment and was completely aware of it.

As I turned back around the block, I noticed the man in my rear view mirror walking down the street. I knew the moment had passed for he and I to have a potential encounter. However, thoughts continued to pour out of me and I followed each one of them. I thought to myself, "Wow, I really wish I would have had something in that moment to give him -- to share with him --without intruding". The first (and only) image that came to mind was this little red glass heart from my home. All of a sudden I wished I had had that heart with me to give him. Then I thought, "I wish I had a bag of hearts to carry around SF and pass out to people when I felt impacted by them in any moment". Then came, "Oh, what a hot idea!" Hence, the name Heart is Hot was born.

The thoughts expanded to numbering each heart that was passed out and placing the website address on it as well so that people could then go the website, log in and share their stories of the giving and receiving of their heart(s). My intention with the hearts was for people to "pass them forward" when they felt complete with them; continuing the literal and symbolic chain of connection that we each share.

The idea of HIH is to remind people of that connection, using a physical symbol of a heart to do so. It's a brand new way of simply following your heart, even literally as you watch it travel around the world over time, quietly spreading the spirit of connectedness.

And on a last note...The man I saw on the street will never know how he impacted MY life, and how he changed me forever. I find that extremely powerful and an act of the universe that completely humbles me.