Looking for a heart-warming story that will touch your heart? We’ve rounded up the top three Bonn Park Podcast episodes that will deepen your faith in humanity, or at least, in humans in the Waterloo Community.
Want to meet some amazing people in the Waterloo community?
Looking for a podcast that will take your mind off the gloom of the world and perhaps restore a little faith in humanity?
Bonn Park is a podcast about inspired people doing inspiring things.
On each episode, Sara and I chat with a different creative doer in Waterloo Region: artists, activists, performers, scholars, and community-builders, to find out what inspires and motivates them.
Not sure where to start?
Here are three episodes of Bonn Park we think will inspire you.
Episode 123, Sumaira Tazeen: Surviving domestic abuse
Sumaira Tazeen is a Canadian visual artist and educator of Pakistani origin. Her work is rooted in the traditions and style of South Asian miniature painting.
Sara and I found ourselves so immersed in her artworks at the Homer Watson House & Gallery in an exhibition called "Bagh-o-Bahar: Let the Flowers Bloom."
On Bonn Park, Sumaira told us that the imagery of irises in her paintings are a symbol of hope: “They are a reflection of my personal experiences and healing and care after living through difficult times in an unsuccessful marriage and domestic abuse.”
Sumaira's artworks are striking in their beauty and simplicity, grounded in the colour red.
“My use of red represents love, anger, passion and warmth, along with the idea of venting out anger because of domestic abuse,” she said. “Sometimes you wear a façade of happiness and on the outside seem content, but inside you are burning with fire.”
Sumaira touched our hearts with a story about her father, who she said was an influential figure in the city of Hyderabad and served as a mayor for 10 years: “He was my role model, and was the one who actually supported me in my professional career in a conservative society that does not support women.”
Check out Episode 123 of Bonn Park.
Episode 5, Christa Wise: A story about resilience and recovery from Lyme Disease
In an episode that both Sara and I found very powerful, we talked with Christa Wise about resilience and recovery in her struggle with Lyme disease.
Just days before her high school graduation, Christa sat down with us to describe the challenges faced by thousands of Canadians living with the disease, an infection transmitted through the bite of infected ticks.
"My main symptoms were debilitating headaches, chronic fatigue, and an inability to think clearly which is known as 'brain fog,' along with lesser symptoms like joint and muscle pain," she told us.
Sara and I chatted with Christa about her arduous and emotional journey towards recovery, the support she received, and her passion for biology, nature, and wildlife. Her spirit and tenacity amid huge challenges were inspiring to us, and we think they will be for you too.
Check out Episode 5 of Bonn Park.
The St. Jacobs Farmers' Market Series: Multigenerational stories
Ok, this is actually three episodes, not one, but they tell a cohesive story of community.
Over the course of Episodes 80, 85 and 89, Sara and I present a three-part series that takes an inside look at the remarkable past, present, and future of the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market, the largest year-round farmers' market in Canada.
It is a place where people of all walks of life -- growers, butchers, buskers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and customers -- have carried on a local tradition for a half-century.
We discovered many multi-generational tales from families who have been at the market for decades. Time and again, people told us how special the market is -- a place of friendship, nostalgia, and community.
Several common themes seemed to come up in every conversation: perseverance, opportunity, quality, integrity, family and camaraderie, especially in times of hardship, such as the devastating 2013 fire. The market community rallies together through thick and thin.
Sara and I learned that the market isn't so much a place as a collection of individuals, each unique, each with their own memories of the collective experience.
If you're looking for an uplifting podcast with tales from the people who make up our vibrant community, these episodes are a few good starting points. Or, just like in a real park, you can just wander in at any point and see who you'll meet. This community is full of some of the most interesting people you've never met. Step into Bonn Park and meet them.