One Year Later: Hope is a Garden

 

Facebook shared this memory from October 15, 2020: 

I am working on my latest book, "Hope: A Collection of Essays and Poems From the Pandemic of 2020". Here is my latest creation that I hope will stir the seeds of infinite possibilities in your heart and soul.

 

Hope Is A Garden  

 

Dirt stained knees

spade turning over soil

feelings flutter

tenderly tilling the earth

lovingly placing bulbs

embodiment of expectations and hope.

 

Hope is a gardenRe

holding seeds in hand

awe-some

everything they need to know

ready to burst forth.

 

Patience and perseverance

faith abides

kneeling

knowing no prayers needed

all unfurls in Divine Timing.

 

In darkness hope stirs

light pierces through

as new life breaks ground

yet invisible to the eye

seeds of infinite possibilities

hope the harvest of imagination.

 

I was inspired to write this poem while watching my husband Tom plant tulip bulbs for the first time in 24 years in our yard. The pandemic moved us to plant a flower garden as a harbinger of hope during one of the darkest and challenging times in our history.

 

The poem inspired the title of my book, "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic" released on March 2nd.

 

I have been deeply moved by how "Hope" has been received. In addition to Editorial and Customer Reviews on Amazon, people have sent me cards and email messages to let me know how much the book has touched their heart and soul.

I was blessed to be a guest on The Cardinal Cafe podcast to share my journey with Greg Chastain,  President and Ed Siegel, Vice President of Voices of Hope Boston. They created the podcast during the pandemic. Even though the theaters were dark, they wanted to shine the spotlight on people and organizations that would bring a message of hope and healing during very challenging times.

 

Dan Thibeault, podcast producer and owner and founder of Fast Twitch Media edited the episode and set the poem Greg read from "Hope" to music.

About a month later, I was a guest on Liz Brunner's podcast, Live Your Best Life. Once again, Dan set the poem that Liz read to music.

He followed up with an email:

 “I think your poetry book would be great as an audio book version with each one read by a different person and music under them. Have you ever considered that?”

 

 I meditated on the idea. Since Greg Chastain had said during our conversation at the Cardinal Café that my poems “hit every note that Voices of Hope puts out there,” I was inspired to make this project a fund raiser for Voices of Hope. Everyone is donating their time and talent to make this project a novel and successful fund raiser for Voices of Hope.

The production is called, "Hope is a Garden: Forty Poems From the Pandemic to Uplift and Inspire You."

We have received an outpouring of enthusiasm and joy from those we asked to participate in the project and renditions of my poems that gave me goosebumps.

We are excited for a holiday release date. 

 

Stay tuned for more details of how you will be able to download this compilation of music and poetry read by these illustrious individuals:

Liz Brunner - Award winning journalist and CEO and Founder of Brunner Communications

Eliza Healey - Music Director, Voices of Hope Boston

Mark Lamourine - Member, Voices of Hope Boston

Bob Halloran - Award Winning Journalist, Author, Movie Consultant, Sports Writer and WCVB Sports Reporter

Ed Siegel - Vice President, Voices of Hope Boston

Denise Audy - Member, Voices of Hope Boston

Jordan Rich - Legendary host at Boston's WBZ radio, award winning podcaster, philanthropist and co-owner of Chart Productions

Candy O'Terry - Boston's beloved radio voice, singer, and award winning podcaster

Karen Nascembeni - General Manager North Shore Music Theater, Director of Corporate and Community Relations at Theater by the Sea and Manager of Cape Live Shows who inspires us all with her grace and grit after surviving COVID and unimaginable losses.

Sean Allan Krill - Award winning singer and actor nominated for a 2020 Tony Award for his role as Steve Healy in Jagged Little Pill, and the original cast recording of the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical was the recipient of the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Dana Siegel - Executive Artistic Director Voices of Hope Boston

Dan Thibeault - Owner and Founder of Fast Twitch Media and the inspiration for Hope is a Garden: Forty Poems from the Pandemic to Uplift and Inspire You

Sue Tabb - Award winning on air Boston radio personality and producer of Exceptional Women

Harry Bouvy - Critically acclaimed Actor, director, teacher, and cocktail enthusiast

Audrey Constant - Award winning Boston radio personality

Joyce Kulhawik - Emmy award winning movie & theater critic CBS Boston 1981-2008, Arts Advocate & 3X Cancer survivor! 

Eileen Curran - Emmy nominated writer, reporter and producer now Director of Public Relations at Franciscan Children's Hospital

Jimmy Tingle - Critically acclaimed comedian and creator of Humor for Humanity

Terry E. Carter - Poet Laureate for the City of Medford, Massachusetts

Jean Chastain - Treasurer, Voices of Hope Boston

Dan Szymczak - Former Baritone of Ball in the House a cappella group and golf instructor in Duluth Minnesota

Lee Woodruff - NY Times Bestselling Author, Speaker, Executive Media Trainer and Co-Founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation

Bob Woodruff - Award winning journalist, NY Times Bestselling Author and Co-Founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation

Mauzy Stafford - Boston On-Air Radio personality, Disc jockey, News and Entertainment Reporter, Radio Talk Show Host and passionate about adopt not shop

 

When I first penned the poem Hope is a Garden, I knew it would be the title of my book. I wrote the book for me to keep me focused on love and light during the pandemic and as a way to move through the darkness with a feeling of hope. 

 

We are excited that now, my creation will bring much needed donations to Voices of Hope Boston until they are able to safely return to their performances to generate money to support cancer research and provide resources to cancer patients, their families and medical caregivers.

2/9/2022

We are close to a release date. All tracks are recorded. Here is the final list of poems with readers:

 From my heart to yours

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

 

 

 

Voices of Hope and The Cardinal Cafe

 Seven years ago, we saw a Facebook post from our dear friend Jordan Rich letting us know that he was going to be in a production of Love Letters at the North Shore Music Theater. The performances were to benefit Voices of Hope, an organization of ordinary people on an extraordinary mission; to use their voices to sing out for a cure for cancer. 

It is our mission to aid in the fight against cancer by raising our voices in song. Through song we celebrate those we love, remember those we have lost, honor those who fight, and rejoice for those who survive. With music as our voice, we raise awareness and funds to support those who conduct the research and create the hope of finding a cure for generations to come.

Since 2009, Voices of Hope (VOH) has donated $836,000 dollars to cancer research and is on a March to a Million in donations by 2022!

Through the years we attended performances of Voices of Hope supporting their mission and passion while enjoying live theater. Their performances are filled with heart and hope believing that one day they will be able to enjoy performing without the need to raise money for cancer research.

Greg Chastain, Founder and President of Voices of Hope, posted on LinkedIn about their new podcast. Since there could be no in person performances, Greg and Ed Siegel, Vice President of Voices of Hope decided to start a podcast called The Cardinal Cafe. The cardinal is an animal totem for messages from loved ones who have gone before. The cardinal is the central part of the logo for Voices of Hope.

I reached out to Greg sharing my story and my recent book, "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic" and asked to be considered as a guest on the podcast. I was eager to share my book with Greg, Ed and his wife Dana because I knew its themes would resonate with them regardless of whether or not they decided to have me join them as a guest.

They decided that my story of resilience, healing, HOPE and possibilities would be a great fit for their podcast.

We recorded the episode yesterday, 5/25, coincidentally the 14th anniversary of when I took a leap of faith and left my award winning career as a VA social worker to heal my life from the once devastating effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma.

Serendipity, synchronicity, faith, friendship, fellowship, laughter, hope, and love flowed freely weaving a beautiful tapestry of conversation that will inspire and uplift the listeners and fill them with a sense of hope whatever challenges life may bring.

I feel deeply blessed and grateful that I celebrated my leap of faith-iversary with Greg, Ed and The Cardinal Cafe.

Be sure to subscribe to their podcast on your favorite platform and listen to their previous episodes.

On July 22nd they are having their annual Golf Tournament in memory of Greg's mom, Barbara Byrd who died from cancer in 2009. She is the inspiration behind Voices of Hope. Visit their website and click on the Events link to learn more about how you can be a part of this annual event as we emerge from these past 14 months ready to hug and have fun again!

You can choose Voices of Hope as your Amazon Smile Charity and give while you shop.

At the end of yesterday's blog post I said, "I'm so excited to see what the next 14 years bring." It's off to an incredible start with Voices of Hope and The Cardinal Cafe.

Be sure to check out my website's News and Events page for upcoming and past interviews where I share my remarkable and inspirational journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

For more information about my journey from childhood polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, visit my website. 

My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.