Mary T. Bodio answered a prayer when I met her at a coffee shop destined to close three weeks after our meeting. She was eighty-three years old at the time, and well known locally for her watercolor prints of historic buildings in Easton, Massachusetts, and Stonehill College buildings. Her works also included landscapes, seascapes, and buildings she had toured in Europe. Some of her work can be found on website http://www.klas14.com/mary_t_bodio.html .

Within four months of our meeting, we had produced the first edition of A Rainbow Journey. The third edition is now available at http://www.createspace.com/900000970 .

A Rainbow Journey is a metaphoric journey through life, guided by an elder (The Mystic), explaining the meaning of each band of the rainbow to a child (The Child). By the end of the journey — “I spent all my life seeking rainbows, expecting at last to find gold. I’m nearing the end of this lifelong quest, but all I got… was old” — The Child offers a warm consolation for The Mystic’s “patience… sacrifice… perseverance.”

 

A Rainbow Journey is dedicated to members of “the greatest generation,” and is a unique way of saying “Thank You” to a special relative, mentor, or friend.

We followed A Rainbow Journey with You Can Be Santa’s Helper, a song/poem (including sheet music) first performed by my local parish in one of its fund raising variety shows. The music was written by my brother Michael, a music minister in the Houston, Texas area.

You Can Be Santa’s Helper is available at www.createspace.com/1000240658 .

“You can be Santa’s Helper, Every Christmas, and all year — Help him change tears to laughter — Help him spread joy and cheer!”

 

You Can Be Santa’s Helper is dedicated to Santa’s Helpers everywhere, especially family members, and staff and volunteers at My Brother’s Keeper in Easton, Massachusetts, a charity which delivers furniture and food, and incredible Christmas season support, to our less fortunate neighbors.