The Casualties of the Journey

This morning, I checked on one of the gnomes—Finnegan. He’s been sitting in the same spot for close to a year now, scanned 512 times. That’s a solid run. But when I found him today, his base was cracked. It looked like he’d been knocked over or dropped, then carefully placed back in his spot.

It’s a reminder of their fragility. These gnomes can last "forever" if left alone, but when they begn to be handled or moved, it increases the chances that they will be dropped or knocked down from where they are laid. Corners of the bases chip. Ankles crack. Hats lose their tips. It’s part of what happens when we ask people to interact with them—to move them, to play a small role in their stories.

I’ve gone back and forth on how to handle this. Do I step in and replace them when they break? Do I let them sit there, weathered and fractured, as a reminder of their journey? There’s no right answer. Sometimes I’ll slip in a replacement, like a quiet repairman working under cover of night. Other times, I’ll leave them as they are, scars and all.

The truth is, this is part of the project. Asking people to participate—to pick these gnomes up and carry them to a new home—means accepting that not all of them will survive intact. Some will break. Some will disappear. And that’s okay.

Finnegan’s cracked base isn’t a failure. It’s proof of his journey, the countless hands that have found him, scanned his code, and maybe even moved him a few feet before setting him down again. And while it’s tempting to try and control every part of this, to preserve them perfectly, that’s not what this is about.

If you’re moving one, take a second to think about the fragile spots: the base, the ankles, the tip of the hat. A little care goes a long way in helping to keep these guys intact for the next person to find. But if something does happen—if a corner chips or a crack forms— don't worry about it. That’s part of their story, too.

Finnegan’s still out there, standing tall on his cracked base, waiting for his next visitor. And I’ll keep doing my part, quietly fixing what I can and letting the rest go.

Finnegan