Let's Be Adventurous!

Before the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome in December of 2006, I would not be described as an adventurous person. I clung to safety and to routine which was no easy feat after giving birth to twins in 1987. Having grown up in a violent household, taking risks and being bold were not a way of life that I could embrace. I lived on the edge for far too many years.

But after the diagnosis of a progressive neuromuscular disease, I was at a crossroads in my life. The old ways were challenged as the walls of my past came crumbling down as I wrote poetry and opened my heart to forgiveness, gratitude, healing, hope and possibilities!

As the howling wind rustled the trees outside and rain pelted against my window in yesterday's early morning hours, I hoped that the weather would subside enough so we could get in our morning 5K.

We vowed that unless there were a blizzard outside, we would not run on a treadmill.

The rain and wind miraculously stopped at 9am when the forecast predicted it would!

The clouds were breaking as the sun tried to peek through the grey overcast day.

As we were getting ready to head out on our run, we had the great debate.

"Should we bring our jackets?"

"No I think it's going to clear!"

"What does the forecast say?"

I finally declared, 'Let's be adventurous and go without our jackets.'

It was unseasonably warm for the last day in September. We expressed our gratitude for being able to still go out in shorts and a t shirt.

When we arrived at The Reservoir, Ruth Anne commented on how mysterious the water looked after the storm.



The wind left gentle waves on the water in its wake with a blue green hue to the water.

We savored these moments together and being together in nature:


Geese lined the path and we played dodge the geese and the puddles on our run.

"Hey mom..look we have the whole place to ourselves."

"That's because people were afraid of the forecast."

"But not us."

We took our mid run selfie:


As we finished our lap around the Reservoir, Ruth Anne spotted ominous looking clouds in the sky. Being the eternal optimist I said, "Oh don't worry. They are moving out."

And that is why I am not a meteorologist!

A few raindrops quickly turned into a deluge about a half mile from the end of our run at our house.

The only thing to do was to laugh and splash in the puddles that quickly formed around our feet.

Ruth Anne was quick to remind me, as she does whenever we get caught in a downpour, "Well you had that image of splashing in the puddles after you were diagnosed."

Ruth Anne referenced the poem, "Come Out and Play" from "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life":

One night I had a dream that I came out of my leg brace and was splashing around in the rain much like Gene Kelly did in Singin’ in the Rain. When I woke up, I penned this poem:

Come Out and Play

Arms flung open wide dancing in the rain
pure abiding joy to feel alive again
healing tears fall and blend in God’s puddle
no time to sit in a corner and huddle
all the old rules driven by fears
washed away now by God’s loving tears
the imprint dad left no longer remains
rain washes away all of the stains
baptized with love, Truth lights my way
the sun shines through on this rainy day
splashing and laughing my heart opens wide
embracing and flowing I’m one with the tide
God takes my hand release the old way
bathe in my glory come out and play!

I was happy we didn't bring jackets or hats. I loved experiencing the delightful feeling or running through the rain, of getting soaked to the skin; a simple pleasure that I never knew as a child. I had never run a day in my life before the age of 53. The medical community would have me believe that, as a survivor of paralytic polio, I was fragile and needed to take special precautions avoiding the elements lest I end up with a fracture or pneumonia.

But for me...that's not living! As Helen Keller said, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

Here is our post we are soaked to the skin selfie:


Intrigued by my journey to health and wellness after the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome? 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
To great adventures in living
Mary

They had me at hello..Book Review: When You Realize How Perfect Everything Is....

Our guest blogger Ruth Anne McManus is back today with a book review of a recently released book co-authored by the grandfather/grandson team of Bernie Siegel, MD and Charlie Siegel: "When you realize how perfect everything is: A Conversation About Life Between Grandfather and Grandson"

Charlie Siegel and Bernie Siegel, MD's conversation flows in a beautiful way through the gift of their poetry. I am excited for both of them because they guide the reader through the mystic experience of making their poetry their song of the Universe. Charlie is wise beyond his years and 'had me at hello' with his opening poem, "Truth, Love and Light." He asks, "What if everything is predetermined to be undetermined?" He answers with the last stanza, "May you go forth and be someone you love."

There are poems that deeply touched my heart in the conversation or as I like to call it, a conversational anthology that evolved as Charlie and Bernie shared their poetry via email through the years. Those conversations evolved into this book.

Bernie's poem "A Beautiful Burden," captured my heart when he talks about not traveling alone and he'd rather get a hernia carrying his wife's overpacked luggage than experience the burden of traveling this life alone. Bernie uses humor throughout his poetry to convey powerful spiritual messages.

The conversation about different spiritual aspects of life flows seamlessly between the generations. The book is written in sections graced by stunning photographs taken by Charlie. Charlie is a nature photographer and dedicates a section of the book to information about the photographs used to capture the essence of the poems in each section.

This is a must read for anyone who is looking for healing and answers to the bigger questions in life such as "What if everything is predetermined as undetermined? What if the Universe has a plan for you to be yourself?"

"When You Realize How Perfect Everything Is: A conversation about life between grandfather and grandson" is available on Amazon and at Wisdom of the Ages If you order through Wisdom of the Ages, you can receive an autographed copy from Bernie and Charlie.

To learn more about Bernie, visit his website at www.berniesiegelmd.com

Charlie's works are available at Wisdom of the Ages and across many social media platforms by searching @NaturephotobySC

From my heart to yours
Ruth Anne

Be sure to visit my mom's website at www.marymcmanus.com

My mom's books are available on Amazon

The Joy is in the Journey

On yesterday's One Minute Thought for the Day, Kristabeth Atwood of Rites of Passage, LLC shared the above quote from the Buddha. She spoke about how it is more important to travel well than to arrive at our destination. I reflected on our current situation given the pandemic and how we all just want to arrive at a "new normal". But it is truly in the journey and how we navigate uncertainty that tests our mettle and forges who we become.

On May 25th of 2007, when I set out on a quest to heal my life taking a leap of faith leaving behind my 20 year award winning career at the VA, I had no idea of where I might arrive on the journey.

I was blessed to discover the sport of running that transformed my life and to be a part of the 1% of the world's population who have run a marathon. The joy was in the journey as I trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon and made incredible friends along the way. The village of runners continues to grow and grow and our fiber of friendship grows stronger with the challenges of the pandemic.

After running Boston, I was told that I might not and probably should not run again but a physical therapist from Australia offered suggestions of what I could do to build up my strength and endurance to return to the roads... but I had to take time off from running.

This wonderful memory "just happened" to pop up on Facebook. It was my come back race in June of 2010. The pictures embody the phrase, the joy is in the journey:


Even though there are times when I feel overwhelmed, anxious, fatigued or sad during these times, I find my way back to joy through a practice of gratitude.



I went to the grocery store today for the first time in two months. Tom had been our hunter/gatherer as I affectionately called him during these past two months. He wanted me to conserve my energy and to not have to contend with wearing a mask for prolonged periods of time given the history of trauma that was getting triggered by having to wear a mask.

Tom has a lot to do for work right now and there were a few other errands he needed to run after work. I felt a feeling deep in my soul that it was time for me to "woman up" or "mask up" and get the groceries. Ruth Anne agreed to go with me.

I didn't know what we would or wouldn't find but I set the intention that I would find everything that we need.

It was definitely a new and somewhat disorienting experience to not be able to go up and down the aisles as we used to do when grocery shopping or easily return to an aisle if we forgot something, but armed with an attitude it is what it is for now, we were able to get our provisions. I experienced joy in being able to procure many of our favorite brands that had been sold out in recent weeks. We saw a lot of merchandise being brought in to stock the shelves while we were there.

I felt tired after the experience but so proud of myself that I was able to move beyond the traumatic events that had been triggered by the pandemic and requirements that go along with it.

My heart overflowed with gratitude that in this time when so many experience food scarcity, we experience abundance. We are sure to share our abundance to help others in need through donations or service. I felt so grateful that we are abundant with Tom's job and our income from social security.

I acknowledged how and why I was feeling a drop in my energy and then looked around for something to boost my mood and energy besides chocolate that is!

There were harbingers of hope and reminders of the Divine at work right in our very own yard.

There was a bush that looked like it was dying last winter. We know not to cut anything down in winter for you never know what might return in Spring. And during the winter this "stick" seemed to be growing out of the ground. We let them be.

What a surprise to see pink flowers on the bush and green leaves growing on the "stick":


I took pause to appreciate our raised bed garden and tomato plant ...


and felt in awe of the presence of Divine all around.

It's easy to lose hope and faith during these times when we are being bombarded with divisiveness, rancor, fear and conflicting information about the pandemic. It's easy to experience despair wondering when will we ever arrive on the other side of these conditions that have shaken all of us to our very core. It's easy to wonder what summer will be like with all the traditional events being cancelled and uncertain plans for possible beach closures.

But I love finding things to be grateful for and finding the joy in the journey surrendering the external conditions and what I don't have control over to the Divine. Time and again my Higher Power that is all around me and within me has seen me through some of the darkest most uncertain times in my life and led me to a place of joy. During this time I am being called to experience the joy in simple pleasures and find gratitude and contentment in the gift of each present moment.

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

Be sure to visit my website to learn more about my journey of transformation from a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.

My books are available on Amazon