My Monday Morning Run

Ruth Anne and I were having a rough start to our Monday morning run. Despite the clear blue sky, sunshine and moderate temperatures, Ruth Anne was feeling very anxious about her upcoming appointment with her primary care provider and meeting with professors via Zoom for her Masters Degree Program at U Mass Boston in Urban Planning and Community Development that begins in January.

As can so often happen with anxiety and trauma, Ruth Anne couldn't directly express herself. We were both frustrated and almost decided to part ways but we hung tough together knowing we had not come so far to only get this far.

I quietly asked the Divine for guidance during the silence. I felt Spirit speak to me, 'Run!' I turned to Ruth Anne and said, 'Come on. We need to get in some speed work.' I took off and she followed saying, "Whoa Ma. You can't run that fast!" as she tracked me at a 12 minute mile on her Garmin. We hadn't done speed work in what seemed like forever although we had been doing tempo runs but certainly not at that pace.

We did a fartlek to the next bench and while we stood breathless, something magical happened. After we broke out into a fast run, Ruth Anne was able to pour her heart out to me. It was one of those magical moments that can only happen during a run.

We decided to do fartleks with a sense of play and joy while capturing the end of summer sensational scenes:


We breathed deeply and problem solved making mental notes of what we wanted to write on our jotter on our refrigerator for affirmations and gratitudes.

We each felt a sense of contentment and accomplishment leaving yesterday's problems in the dust (or in this case in the gravel on the path around the Reservoir) and experienced a magnificent Monday filled with possibilities. We imagined her receiving a clean bill of health from her PCP along with his being in awe of her transformation from last year. That is exactly what happened this morning at her appointment. When we whisk away our fears and replace them with affirmations and imagining what we want rather than focusing on the anxiety of what we don't want, we get to create rather than react to our lives! Running provides a powerful vehicle to move beyond fears and step into a new future.



To be inspired by my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond 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

Fare Well

We are all feeling fear and anxiety. It's a response to uncertainty, to a threat to our well being and the well being of our loved ones. For so many it's a time of economic uncertainty and for everyone it's a profound change in routine without having had any way to prepare for the situation.

While life is unpredictable and things are impermanent, this is uncertainty and impermanence on steroids yet also a wonderful opportunity for us to feel our resilience, strength, courage, gratitude and practice kindness and love in unprecedented ways.

But while we may not have experienced a situation exactly like this before, the majority of us have lived through traumatic events and times of uncertainty. We are a resilient lot and have a powerful drive to thrive.

How do we fare well during these times?

The diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome in December of 2006 was my wake up call when I faced an uncertain future with my health and my career. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and that if I had any hope of stabilizing the symptoms where they were that I needed to leave my almost 20 year career as a VA social worker.

I got still and asked for Divine Guidance as I believe the global community is doing as we face this current public health crisis.

What flowed out of me was a poem called, "Running the Race." At the time I sat in a leg brace, used a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility contemplating a rather grim future. At the time did I have any idea that the poem foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run? Absolutely not! I had never run a day in my life....

I was connected to Source and allowing the Divine to flow through me.

When I wrote poetry I literally felt no pain. I felt happy and whole casting away the pain from my past of paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members and creating a vision for a fantastic future very different than the one the doctors predicted for me.

Last week, I started writing poetry again!

I find that it eases the anxiety that washes over me at times and have been blessed to receive feedback from readers that it resonates with them.

During those times of uncertainty while I was blessed to find an earth angel of a physical therapist with Allison Lamarre-Poole at Spaulding Rehab (who now has a private practice, Koru Physical Therapy in Maine), I also discovered the power of meditation and was led to many wonderful healing resources.

After a serious knee injury in December of 2014, I was led to an expanding repertoire of healing resources that are holding me in very good stead during these uncertain times.

I highly recommend Kelly Noonan Gores' webinar that features physicians and new thought leaders. It's free and can be viewed by following this link. There is a 25 minute meditation at the end of the webinar to help to bring us to a place of calm and steadiness as we navigate uncharted turbulent waters.

During these times, my hope and prayer is that we all find a way to fare well.

Fare Well

When we complain in despair
life seems so unfair
you can fare well
saying farewell to victimhood and fear
to sit and savor whine
intoxicates mind
dwelling in dark
places.

Look to the light
remember
miraculous moments
coming back from the
edge
helpers seen and
unseen
to see you through.

A grateful heart
beats with gladness
pulsing river of life
carries away waste
from the past
no more time to waste
life is magnificent
bidding you to fare well
embracing Love!

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
With love
Mary

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

My books are available on Amazon