Countdown to the 6th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K - Part II

Yesterday was Joseph Scott Middlemiss' sixth angelversary as I wrote about in Countdown to the 6th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K Part I.

Joseph is the forever 6 year old son of Kate and Scott Middlemiss. From Kate and Scott's eulogy:
Has the road always been easy and pain free? Certainly not. There have been mountains to climb and many tears to shed. You have overcome things that grown adults cannot even fathom. And, after the pain, after the tears, you would always look to us and speak the same words, “That wasn’t so bad, was it??” You would move on and smile and find a way to embrace joyful life even in the halls of a hospital or the confines of a doctor’s office. It didn’t matter where you were because your infectious smile and boisterous laugh turned every setting into your own personal playground.

Joseph Scott, you have been fighting from the moment you were born. Well, even before that moment. You see, when you were still in mommy’s belly, the doctors didn’t think you were viable. They thought you were filled with too many abnormalities to be allowed to enter our world. We were so so scared but we trusted in God’s plan for you. We now believe that this faith, this trust, this grace is part of what helped to ignite your fiery, life filled spirit.

The doctors were right in one sense. You were born with many medical imperfections, but the real irony of it all is that you came into this world with one very big, enlarged heart. Perhaps this is what shortened your lifespan here on earth but it certainly symbolized the immeasurable love, faith, joy, and grace you shed on so many. Our boy with the BIG HEART was sent with an enormous mission to complete. You did this flawlessly.

As I looked out my window yesterday morning as we were getting to go on our early morning run, this magnificent sky greeted me:


I have kept an Early Morning Light Album of photos I have taken during the early morning hours. I have never seen a sky with those colors perfectly painted on the canvas of the Divine. I felt Joseph's presence and the call to action to be conscious of being kind honoring Joseph's remarkable legacy of loving and living life to the full, kindness and joy. While I try to be kind every day, on his birthday and angelversary the Team Big Heart community shares the acts of kindness they perform in Joseph's memory.



Team McManus decided that we would greet everyone we encountered on our 5K run with Good Morning, a smile and wishing them a wonderful day. Many people and runners had their head phones on and were in the zone unaware of our presence but many more would come out of themselves and greet us often saying thank you. We made it a challenge to see if we could elicit a response when someone looked like they were down or were zoned into their ear pieces. It was a joyful experience for giver and receiver to spread joy first thing in the morning. {For more on the benefits of kindness on giver and receiver please check out the work of Dr. David Hamilton.)

We were treated to splendor in nature during our run:


It looked as though there was a dove in the clouds and we saw lots of angel wings.

We took a selfie proudly wearing our Team Big Heart and LaCoste Strong shirts. Kevin is a dear friend who we met through Kate and Scott. He is recovering from a traumatic spinal cord injury he suffered in July.



As we approached the school on our street at the end of our run, we continued spreading love and good cheer. You could feel the positive energy ripple through the Heath School Community.

I had to run a few errands after our run. My first stop was Star Market. The usual outgoing and friendly woman who usually works at Customer Service was bagging groceries. When I greeted her and noticed she was not her usual self, I asked her if everything was okay. She told me what was bothering her and thanked me so much for caring. She said that she was going to make time for herself during the day and enjoy the weather.

Next up was Walgreens. A lovely woman greeted me and asked me if I needed any help. I asked her where the dental care section was. She walked me over to the section and with a big smile extended her hand and said "Here you go." I thanked her and said, "Has anyone told you today how wonderful you are?" "No," she said. "Thank you. I'm going to carry that with me through the rest of the day."

Random acts of kindness need not cost any money although surprising someone with a gift card, paying for someone's parking meter, buying flowers are always warmly appreciated. There were ripples of love and kindness sent throughout our community as we remembered and honored Joseph.

Dr. David Hamilton wrote this great article about The 3-Degree Ripple Rule of Kindness.

Since 2014, The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation has hosted a Superhero 5K as a fund raiser but also as a fun raiser to celebrate and commemorate Joseph and to honor heart warriors in the community. This year, for the first year, they are having a race beneficiary that ties in with the Foundation's first goal:
"To expand The Joseph Middlemiss 'All You Need is Love' Mission, fostering the spread and documentation of Random Acts of Kindness on local, national, and international fronts."

This year's beneficiary is The LaCoste Family.

As we countdown to the 6th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K, I'd like to invite you to to register for the race in person, or for a virtual 5K by following this link.



There will be a Celebrity Mile where you can cheer on your favorite local celebrities and see a rematch between Jack Middlemiss, superhero heart transplant recipient and Dave McGillivray, superhero, author and heart warrior after bypass surgery a year ago.




There will be 2 days of bib pickup prior to the race at ML Shaw's 14 Loon Hill Road Dracut:
Thursday, September 26, 2019 – 3:00p-7:00p
Friday, September 27, 2019 – 3:00p-7:00p

Saturday 9/28:
Registration and Bib Pick Up: 7:00am
Kids Run: 9:30 am
Celebrity Mile: 10:00 am
5K: 10:30 am
After party

All abilities are welcome and everyone is celebrated as this community of kindness and love gathers to commemorate and celebrate Joseph Scott Middlemiss, resilience, the sport of running and reminding us all that when it comes right down to it, all we need is love and a good run to get through whatever life may hand us.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary


Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route.