A Celebration of Healing: You Must Give Up the Life You Planned...

Yesterday marked my 13th leap-of-faith-iversary. On May 25, 2007, I took a leap of faith leaving behind my award winning career as a VA social worker to heal my life. In December of 2006, I was diagnosed with Post Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair possibly needing a feeding tube. I was told to expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged.

How does any runner mark a milestone? With a celebratory run! Tom usually has to work on Mondays so it's just Ruth Anne and me on a Monday run, but because it was Memorial Day, Tom was able to join us.

I felt the excitement in my soul as I began the day as I begin every day with meditation reflecting on the miracle of healing in my life. I reflected on the blessings, the synchronicity, the courage, the resilience, the determination and gave thanks for all the healers who crossed my path.

I reflected on my adventures as runnergirl 1953 and all the friends I might not have ever met if I didn't take that leap of faith and find my way to the sport of running.

We ate breakfast, put on our water belts and headed out the door on a cool, cloudy morning.

Ruth Anne was struggling a bit emotionally as the pandemic caused quite a disruption in her healing journey with PANDAS and we came up with ideas for mood boosters. Once the endorphins kicked in after about a mile, we were all feeling the healing and the joy of celebration.

Ruth Anne and I each had plans for our lives. I was going to retire from the VA at the age of 55 and work at Bloomingdale's. Yup that was my plan; to be a part of "beauty" and be in contact with the "upper class" after all the years of being of service to veterans and their families. Nothing is farther from the truth of who I am but I was feeling burned out and was reaching for something very different from what I had done for 25 years as a dedicated social worker.

Ruth Anne received her Bachelor's Degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Her professors adored her and she had many job offers but wasn't feeling well and decided to return home to Boston.

After four years we finally found the missing puzzle piece of her health issues and she is now poised and ready to discover the life she is meant to live.

After I took my leap of faith, I was focused on writing poetry and nurturing the creative side of me that lay dormant because I lived in survival mode for so many years. Writing poetry opened the portal to healing and led me to the sport of running.

Through running, I found myself and discovered who I was always meant to be on the road to the 2009 Boston Marathon.



There were not many people out as we approached the Cleveland Circle Reservoir and were treated to still waters and beautiful swans.



We reminisced about how Ruth Anne was instrumental in encouraging me to choose a date to leave the VA and circled it on our family calendar. I recalled with tenderness and love how she accompanied me to appointments at brace clinic, Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. She was my advocate with Tom and her brother to emphasize with them how serious my condition was at the time. I didn't think that I would now be in that role for her as she recovers from brain inflammation but so deeply grateful for the love and strength of our family.



We chatted about how, although races were cancelled and we won't be taking race-cations this summer, there is so much celebration of healing and gratitude to experience together.

It's a blessing that I can share a message of healing, hope and possibilities and inspire others (including Ruth Anne) with what is possible.

I enjoy life now more than I ever have although I do cherish the work I did while I was at the VA proudly serving those who served.

Such a blessed and beautiful way to celebrate my thirteenth leap-of-faith-iversary running side by side with those who loved and supported me every step of my healing odyssey.

To learn more about my journey be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary