Monday Hearts for Madalene

It's rare that a non-fiction book strikes a deep, emotional chord in me. But when true love is the focus, it holds me captive. Such was the case when I first discovered "Monday Hearts For Madalene." The book is a collection of 100 beautifully designed and photographed 'hearts' made of everyday objects, but the inspiration behind the project nearly had me in tears.

Page Hodel, a world-renowned DJ and contractor living in San Francsico, met the love of her life, Madelene Rodriguez, in 2005 and knew immediately their bond would never be broken. So powerful was her love for Madelene that she would leave a new heart for her each Monday morning, somewhere in their house, to help her start her week on a beautiful note.

Sadly, just a year after they met, Madalene died of ovarian cancer.

Rather than give up on life and love, Page decided to continue to make her hearts for Madalene and to spread that love to friends and family, and eventually to strangers across the globe.

"Although Madalene is no longer with me on this physical plane, in my heart her love is so alive and unchanged. In recognition of this unbelievably warm, kind, gentle soul, whose love changed my life so much, I wanted to find a way to share this beautiful feeling," says Page.

Anyone who would like to receive more information about the project, please visit mondayheartsformadalene.com. If you would like to purchase the book - a gorgeous collection of 100 of the finest heart-shaped creations - know that partial royalties will be given to the Women's Cancer Resource Center of Oakland, California, to help fight women's cancer. Also available is a set of note cards with the images and a selected group of first-edition prints will soon be available.

True love is so rare. The beauty it can spawn is simply unimaginable, as demonstrated by the imagery below. The inspirational effect on anyone who encounters its light can be transformative.

No Monday will there ever be

From now until eternity

That you don't have

A heart from me...