Foliage, Flowers, and Family on a Fun Run

Running is an integral part of Team McManus' life. We cannot imagine a Saturday morning without filling up the water bottles, putting on our fuel belts and choosing a route to enjoy together unplugged and tuning into the rhythm of life.

We get to experience the change of seasons embracing the beauty and the challenges that each season in New England has to offer. While the transition from Winter to Spring is my favorite change of season, I have come to celebrate and find the joy in every season.

We chose Heartbreak Hill for Saturday's 5K run.

There is a house right before Center Street and Commonwealth Avenue on the Carriage Road that has the most beautiful gardens.



We saw an older woman, the keeper of her beautiful gardens lovingly tend her flowers. What a wonderful start to our run!

The trees are just beginning to change colors and many leaves lined the carriage road.


We paused to take our selfie:


We bantered about what foods we are looking forward to preparing this Autumn and Winter and had to pause to take this picture:


We cherished our time together expressing what we are grateful for as we get ready to embrace the season of Thanksgiving.

We shared our feelings about the pandemic and how so much has changed. There is no Heartbreak Hill Run Club with runners conquering the Newton Hills and then gathering in the store celebrating runs and plans for upcoming races. There are no high fives and great job as we'd pass familiar faces or just smile at runners passing by. We talked about the upcoming election and our energy shifted from sadness to optimism and hope.

While there may be so much sadness and heartache in the world, through running, we are able to find our way to celebrate life and appreciate the beauty of the season with foliage, flowers and family fun time.

To learn more about my journey from being told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair in December of 2006 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

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

A Perfect 10 Kind of Run

We knew a front moved through with cooler air for our Wednesday run. We usually get up early and head out to beat the heat but Ruth Anne had a Zoom Occupational Therapy session and wanted to take time to prepare for it. I had no qualms with us sleeping in a little later.

The weather was spectacular. Ruth Anne felt great after her session with her therapist as she prepares for a virtual tour at U Mass Boston Grad School in Urban Planning and Community Development. We both felt gratitude overflow in our hearts to Erin and for this past year of healing after 14 hospitalizations in two years. We were excited for Ruth Anne's Health-i-Versary that is happening today!



I was excited for being able to reach my goal of 50+ miles for August.

We chose to run 3 times around the small Reservoir on Route 9. There were two very dignified elegantly dressed older ladies walking in front of us. As we passed them, I wished them a wonderful day through my mask. "You too," one of them replied. "You're going at a pretty brisk pace there." Ruth Anne and I smiled.

We paused to take photos of the spectacular day savoring every precious moment of the perfect 10 weather:


There was a perfect mix of sun and clouds with cool, crisp air. I felt as though Source was kissing my face and blessing my run with gentle breezes.

We checked our mileage after two times around and I knew either we would go over or under the mileage if we did another loop. Since the weather was glorious and there was no one else out, we decided on the third loop. Our original calculation did not include the mileage to get home!

I deposited another 3.75 miles toward my goal of 50+ miles with only 6 miles to go divided between two runs.

Today's run was a celebration of life, of hope, of healing and possibilities despite all appearances to the contrary one year ago for Ruth Anne and 13 years ago for me.

We felt the glow of a perfect 10 kind of run for the rest of the day and had that energy reflected back to us in comments on our Facebook post.

The feeling after a good run is truly the best feeling in the world!

Be sure to visit my website to be inspired by my health and wellness journey at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon.

May you know the joy of a perfect 10 kind of run day!

From my heart to yours
In health, wellness and joy
Mary

Hope: A Collection of Poems and Essays From the Pandemic of 2020

My original title for my next book was "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life Volume 2."

During a meditation, I was inspired to change the title and include blog posts I have written since February before the world became locked in the grip of a pandemic.

My worlds as a writer, runner, poet and eternal optimist collide in my latest book which includes original poetry written after March 15th and reflections during an unprecedented time in our history.

I am excited to share with you the working draft of the Introduction:

Speaking at the Hyannis Marathon Pre-Race Pasta Dinner in February of 2020 and sharing my journey at the Expo was a highlight of my most unlikely running career. I reunited with friends I had met since I discovered the sport of running in February of 2008. Hugs and selfies were the order of the day. I made new friends at the Expo and after my talk at the Pre-Race Pasta Dinner where I shared the podium with Bill Rodgers. We were all looking forward to a reunion in April in Boston for the Boston Marathon and for a year of exhilarating events.

We were excited to be hosting the water stop for our beloved running club, L Street on March 8th. We ignored any of the quiet warnings about COVID-19 and hugged sweaty runners, poured water and Gatorade into cups for runners to drink and congratulated runners on getting through one of their last long runs before taper time for the Boston Marathon.

On March 12th, I walked into my pregnant chiropractor’s office.

The airwaves and social media news feeds were beginning to fill with fear and panic. I had a sense in my gut that something was terribly wrong with the messages and the methods that surrounded COVID-19.

“I don’t think they have any plan for this,” I told Dr. Lizzie.

“I’m not worried about getting the virus,” Dr. Lizzie said. “I’m worried about what’s going to happen to my business.”

Always the commensurate professional, Dr. Lizzie gave me an outstanding treatment of chiropractic care. We hugged at the end of the treatment.

“As long as things are open, I will be here,” she said.

The first email she sent outlined the precautions she would take while keeping her practice open. Two days later she said that she would have to follow the State and City guidelines and temporarily close her practice. As numbers of cases spiked, she made the decision to close her practice until January 2021 giving herself an extended maternity leave.

I witnessed my friends who are small business owners shutter their shops. Since we were not financially affected by the shut down, we supported them as much as we could. We ordered take out from our favorite restaurants, shopped on line and bought gift certificates to our favorite stores to use once restrictions were lifted.

In March of 2020, there was an epidemic of fear and a time of chaos related to the COVID-19 virus. It inspired me to open my heart and soul to the gift of poetry and writing I discovered shortly after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome.

Victor Frankl said that “The last of the human freedoms: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you become the plaything to circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity...”

I returned to harnessing the power of my pen, my divining rod for healing and am delighted to share with you this new collection of poetry and reflections of life during an unprecedented time of a pandemic, economic upheaval, a call to eliminate racial injustice and, in the United States, an election of epic historical proportions.

I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul in February of 2007 shortly after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and to expect an accelerated aging progress as a result of the polio virus I contracted when I was 5 years old in one of the last polio epidemics in the United States. Despite having had 5 vaccines, I still contracted the virus. But having had polio and then being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome were two of the greatest gifts in my life for which I am deeply grateful. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul AND was led to the sport of running.

I call my pen my divining rod for healing as poems poured forth from my soul inspiring me to let go of the pain of the past through gratitude, love and forgiveness and imagine a beautiful future for myself; one in which my body was running – yes running – free and seeing myself as healthy, happy, whole and healed!

Running helped me to transform from a survivor of paralytic polio and severe childhood trauma to a marathoner discovering strength, redemption, a most remarkable village of friends and most importantly, the truth of who I am.

While out on a morning run in March of 2020, I witnessed the stirring of new life with the beginning of Spring in New England. I felt a stirring in my soul. Despite the chaos and fear, I felt a sense of hope and possibility. A poem poked its way through me and I knew it was time to write another book. These poems and reflections are in chronological order of when they were written from March 15th through (date to be determined).

Although races and events were either postponed and eventually cancelled, or went to a virtual race format, running three times a week helped me to navigate the turbulent times. Those runs inspired poems and reflections. Those runs helped me to stay focused, grounded and optimistic always finding something to be grateful for and appreciate in the world around me.

As fear and anger filled the airwaves and social media streams, it was a time for deep breaths, connecting to the Divine, the Source of all, connecting to nature and to each other soul to soul, heart to heart without politics and divisiveness but with tenderness, love, kindness and compassion. Often times it takes a crisis to awaken us to healing, hope and possibilities. My hope is that this collection of poems and essays serve as a reminder that whatever the challenge, however dark and hopeless things may seem, there is always faith, hope and optimism to guide us through.



I feel wonderful when I am immersed in the creative process inspired by messages from Spirit. I am writing "Hope" in real time and will know when the arc of the story will be complete.

There have been several times throughout my life when life came to a screeching halt. I am filled with healing, hope and possibility that as individuals, as a community, as a country and a world we can move forward and heal.

To be inspired by my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in 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, hope and wellness
Mary

When the going gets tough..

the tough get running!



These past several weeks have been very stressful for Team McManus. While I continue to practice an attitude of deep gratitude for all of our blessings including the strength and resilience to navigate stressful events, it is important to acknowledge that stress can take its toll and build up as different events occur.

Rather than share the litany of events that occurred, the tipping point came when Tom had to be tested for COVID at Boston College this past Monday. We know we are all healthy and well. We knew Ruth Anne tested negative when she went for an appointment for a possible UTI. We know that the symptoms of the virus can be very similar to how stress manifests in the body and we all know the role that the power of belief plays in our bodies. We focused on creating the outcome we wanted rather than focus on fear. {Spoiler alert: It was negative!} The testing site was well organized without any waiting at the site. They said Tom would get the results in 6-26 hours.

His colleagues starting getting their results and after 26 hours he called student health services. They said he would not get the results until late Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

Let go and let God and get out the door to go on a run while trying to let thoughts of worry pass by like clouds as any person who meditates will do. Yet I also honored my feelings of being aware of the fragility of life and how life can change on a dime!

We were not worried about Tom getting ill but rather concerned about the disruption a positive test would cause in our lives. Ruth Anne is just getting back to volunteering and seeing her acupuncturist on a regular basis. She would not be able to go to either of those activities for 14 days. I didn't know if we would all need to quarantine or if I would be able to get out to get us groceries. As I observed my racing thoughts, Ruth Anne and I took in the spectacular scenes before us on a beautiful summer morning:


I felt a heaviness in my body and focused on releasing the weight I felt while being so grateful for the gift of being free to be able to get up, go out the door and get in a run.

The phone rang...spam call.

We focused on the geese that swooped in seemingly from out of nowhere landing with flappping wings. A bubble of joy rose up within me to see their movements with reckless abandon and the splashing of water.

The phone rang again as we were on our final loop around the Reservoir.

"It was negative," Tom said and the tears began to flow.

Nike+ said, "Pausing work out."

"The volunteer put in my wrong email address. The nurse at the Health Services got all of my information, called the testing lab and got the results. She was very chatty and I told her that I was sorry to cut her off but I have to call my wife." Even though Tom didn't tell me that only negative results would be sent via email, as a former social worker in health care, I knew that positive results would not be sent via email. Tom confirmed my suspicion after he received the results.

Ruth Anne and I laughed and cried for the rest of our 4.2 miles. She would be able to volunteer and see her acupuncturist later in the day and we would be able to move forward with living our lives as we have been since March mindful of masks and social distancing with a lifestyle that promotes health and wellness.

Tom was supposed to be on vacation last Monday and Tuesday but with the scheduling of the testing along with critical work that had deadlines, he moved his vacation days to yesterday and today. We are thoroughly enjoying this time together savoring the final days of summer.

We are taking deep breaths, looking forward to easier and lighter days giving thanks for the gifts of health, abundance and wonderful friendships.

We are looking forward to joyful and playful runs letting go of stress and take great comfort in knowing that when the going gets tough, the tough take to the roads!

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com to learn more about the power of the mind/body connection and visualization

My books are available on Amazon

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness...healing, hope and possibilities
Mary

When Source is the Source

If you pay attention to the news these days, there is a lot to fear and so much uncertainty. After contracting paralytic polio at the age of 5 followed by years of enduring abuse at the hands of family members and after the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome at the age of 53, I connected to Source to guide me through. I continue to remind myself to go above and beyond anything happening in physical reality and focus on gratitude, love, joy, peace, hope, healing and possibilities.

One of the ways I discovered of connecting to Source and tapping into healing, hope and possibilities is through the power of my pen; my divining rod for healing. Shortly after the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome, poetry flowed out of me. I healed a tumultuous past through forgiveness and created a future very different from the one the doctors predicted for me.

In mid-March I opened my heart to the Divine and started writing poetry again. Rather than seeking news of the physical reality as portrayed by the media, I sought out seeing Source all around me.

Source from the soon to be released Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life Volume 2

Whenever doubts prevail
look to the sky
sunrise or sunset
in the clouds angels smile
a canvas to send Divine messages.

Sorcerer of all
weaving a tapestry of magic, mystery and wonder
a wave of peace washes over
with broad brush strokes
signs from Master Artist.

My heart overflows
gratitude and blessings
withdraw from chaos or messages of fear
Source pours through every cell
when Source is the Source all things are possible!

On our early Monday morning run, we captured these scenes and signs from Source:


We have been dining outside in our yard and watching the sunsets. I've been captivated by what I have captured:


There have been angels, faces and incredible displays of light.

Given the high heat and humidity, we got up at 6:15am on Wednesday to head out on our run. After meditation, we were treated to these spectacular scenes that we paused to capture:


While contracting paralytic polio and enduring years of abuse and then receiving the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome, were the greatest challenges in my life, they also presented me with the greatest gift. I found my way to Source and keep coming home to Source through my running, my meditation and my poetry. For when Source is the Source, all is healed, and all things are possible despite appearances to the contrary!

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com to be inspired by my journey of overcoming adversity and healing my life mind, body and soul through the power of the mind/body connection and connection to Source.

My books are available on Amazon.

From my heart to yours
In health and well being
Mary

No way! Way!

Throughout my 13 year healing odyssey from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma, people (and myself) have often said "No way!" and the Universe and I respond "Way!"

Because of my own journey of transformation, I always held faith that one way or another, our daughter Ruth Anne (see blog post The Missing Piece of the Puzzle) would find her healing path. We had no idea of what that path would look like or when it would happen but we visualized her as healthy and whole, and being able to have a relationship with her.

There were moments when it was very challenging to sustain faith and vision for a future very different from the frequent crises we experienced with Ruth Anne. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be out running with her on a regular basis and that she would be pacing me on the roads as I pace her in her life as she continues to heal and recover, I would have said no way. Yet deep down inside I knew there was a way that was yet to be revealed to us.

Yesterday Ruth Anne and I went on our Wednesday morning run together. It was cooler than it had been in awhile and we decided it would be a good day for her to pace me.



While enjoying the scenes of nature and working on my pace, we talked about politics, family, memories, continued to debrief about these past 3 years of her journey, my journey and the excitement of waiting to hear on her acceptance into U Mass Boston Graduate School of Urban Planning and Community Development. Ever since she received her Bachelors Degree she has wanted to pursue a Master's Degree. The professors she reconnected with during the process of applying to UMass were over the moon excited that she is pursuing her Masters Degree and affirmed her achievements as a student in their classes. What powerful medicine to heal the wounds of the past several years where she had been given every psychiatric diagnosis in the book. One of her "therapists" even told her that she was on the progressive course of a schizophrenic!

Fortunately the psychiatrist she works with knew that she did not fit into any specific diagnostic category and wanted to alleviate the pain and suffering caused by the symptoms. He was greatly relieved when we put the pieces of the puzzle together and worked with us to get a medication regimen that would support her healing!

When you see Ruth Anne and me with our vibrant radiant smiles, you would have no idea of what we have endured to arrive at this moment in our lives. You would probably say..."No way! That's just not possible!" and we would say, "Oh yes Way! it's all so possible!"

To learn more about my healing journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in 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 to uplift and inspire you with powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon



From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary