(Growing Strong in the Season of Lent, Palm Sunday)

Does anybody remember when pet rocks became a big fad in this country?

In April 1975, Gary Dahl was in a bar listening to his friends complain about their pets. This gave him the idea for the perfect “pet” -- a rock. Think about it. A rock would not need to be fed, walked, bathed, or groomed; furthermore, pet rocks would not die, become sick, or be disobedient. He said they would be perfect as pets, and joked about it with his friends.

But Dahl later took his idea further than simply sharing it with a few of his drinking buddies. He began selling ordinary gray stones bought at a builder’s supply store as pet rocks. These rocks were marketed like live pets, in custom cardboard boxes, complete with straw and holes to allow the pet rock t…