A Leap of Faith

Eight years ago this week I was saying goodbye to my patients and their families at the Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic at 251 Causeway Street. Six weeks earlier I had given my notice to my nurse manager and then began the painful yet incredibly liberating process of saying goodbye to the routine of getting up at 5:30 every morning, taking care of my children, my husband and my household and returning home in a state of adrenal overload at around 5:30-6:00pm. I did not know how to practice good self care and knew that it was time to leave to heal my life.

I withdrew my retirement account and accepted the tax penalty. I called my pen, yes writing with pen in hand, my diving rod for healing. When I wrote and write poetry I literally felt and feel no pain. I feel joy, healing, and my life force flow. My imagination lights up and impossible is nothing.

Many called me crazy for walking away from my award winning career as a social worker at the VA. If you look at the "reality" of it, it was a crazy thing for me to do. I didn't really have a plan but somewhere deep inside of me I knew that everything was going to work out. Now there were definitely white knuckle moments of uncertainty but every time - every time - the Universe delivered with whatever was needed at the time when I allowed faith to triumph over fear.

I am also in awe of how the Universe and my soul will not allow me to play it small. A few times I have flirted with playing it small and playing it safe.

But I can't and I won't and neither should you. Listen to the promptings of your heart and soul ... where is it calling you? When you hear the call and say I can't do that, it's crazy ... that's exactly what you need to do.

I often say life is short but my husband reminds me that life is just long enough to do everything we are meant to do here so fill those moments with everything that lights your heart and soul on fire and will inspire others to do the same with their lives.

Take that leap of faith and know that you have wings to fly!

Be blessed! Journey well! To all good things...

My latest book, "Journey Well" is now available on Amazon along with all of my inspirational books. 50% of book proceeds are donated to the Massachusetts Resiliency Center, a safe, welcoming space for survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing to heal and stay in touch with one another; a virtual hub for a widely dispersed community whose lives have been impacted by the tragic events of April 15th and the events that followed.

When terror struck the world's oldest and most beloved marathon on April 15, 2013, it was a defining moment in Mary McManus’ life and the lives of all those in Boston and around the world. It was her wake up call to return to the sport and community that have been medicine and a lifeline for her throughout her marathon of healing the late effects of paralytic polio and experiencing 9 years of domestic violence as a child and adolescent. Mary captures the essence of Boston Strong through her experience of the 2014 Boston Marathon and as she profiles the people who are Boston Stronger. Through her blog posts, poems and journal entries woven together with excerpts from her memoir, “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility,” you will experience, through one woman’s journey of transformation and healing, that no matter what happens to us, we can all learn to journey well.