Happy Monday, dear readers! I’ll actually be at California Coast Music Camp at the time this post is published, but with the magic of scheduled posts, and seeing as it’s Monday, I thought I’d share some Monday marvelousness.
Monday Hearts for Madalene
At Jazz Camp West a few weeks ago I met an amazing woman, Page Hodel, who is modeling an inspiring combination of creativity and generosity with her project, Monday Hearts for Madalene.
Page told her story before the dance concert on the last night of camp, with a slide show of stunning photographs of hearts going on behind her. It was moving and touching, and a great example of what living a creative life — even in the seemingly smallest of ways — can do for others.
When Page met her true love, Madalene, she began a routine every Sunday night of making a little heart on her doorstep out of leaves or flowers or buttons, “anything pretty I could find.” She wanted Madalene to find a sweet little “I love you” waiting for her when she went out the door to go to work on Monday morning. “To start her week with a visual reminder of our beautiful love.”
Seven months after they fell in love, Madalene was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer. After a courageous fight, Madalene died a short four months later, at only 46.
A few days before Madalene died, Page made a promise to her that she would continue to make her hearts for her for the rest of her life. “It is a way for me to express the river of love I have inside of me and to maintain the continuity of my connection to her, to keep her in my physical world.”
Page has kept that promise. And although the making of the hearts was never intended to be more than her private messages to Madalene, they have grown to be much more indeed.
At the suggestion of Madalene’s brother, Ivan, Page started taking photos of the hearts, and sending them to loved ones over the internet. She invited the recipients to send them on to their loved ones, with the intention to put love out into the world.
Page’s hearts for Madalene now not only span the globe (and you can sign up to receive 
one of your own each Monday by scrolling to the bottom of the Monday Hearts for Madalene home page and clicking on the “Email Me” button), but a subset of them has recently been published as a book, as well as as a deluxe notecard set.
Inspiration to put your creativity out there
Page’s story was a wonderful reminder to me that the most important thing each of us can do is to keep an open heart and keep putting our creativity out there. The road can feel long and discouraging, but if you stay true to your authentic self and speak/create/give from a place of honesty and love, it can really make a difference.
And isn’t that what each of us wants? I know I do.
