Todd helps Joan, a vocalist, make connections between the loss of her singing voice, three miscarriages, and her survival of a historic Amtrak train wreck. Along the way, we meet her daughters, learn how Indian ashrams and silent meditation retreats have been as important to Joan as her music, and discover the redeeming power of laughter. Todd's (three!) poems for Joan support her in her grief, affirm her choice to evolve her career as a composer, and present her with a surprising award. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you might even break out in song.
Chapters in this episode:
- Amtrak, Conrail, and Joan's fifth-car "wall"
- Three boys lost in the second trimester
- A dream choir and an expiration date
- Daughters, mothers, and a lineage of strong women
- Voice, meditation, and silence
- The poem: "A Trophy"
Audio clip: 1987 Amtrak 20/20 Newsreel
Guest Joan Johnson Drewes website
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