For those of you who missed the women of the year champagne brunch this past Sunday at the Harbor View Hotel you missed an amazing experience. This fourth annual event sponsored by Women Empowered was fortunate to have Jessica Kensky and her husband Patrick, both seriously injured in the marathon bombing, in attendance. Jessica provided the moving keynote speech. I had the pleasure of sitting next to her, along with her husband and his mother and aunt. I was inspired by her to write a poem which I hope provides a flavor of what we heard from her about her experience. She is definitely my hero today along with her husband and the four other women honored at this event: Jo Ann Murphy, Mary Beth Grady, Allison Burger and Betty Burton.

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May you always stand in grace

Once you stood on two feet

And then you stood on one

Now you stand on courage

Admired for how far you’ve come

You stand on love and faith

You face the future strong

You’re grateful for your life

Though so many things went wrong

May you never stand alone

May you always stand in grace

May happiness prevail

And a smile on your face

Nancy Langman

Vineyard Haven