Celebrating Ten Years of Running: The Rainbow Connection

We had a very difficult and challenging weekend. Our daughter was suffering and struggling with her symptoms of severe depression and PTSD and all that goes along with it. She had been discharged the previous Wednesday without a discharge plan! Fortunately she put together her own plan with the help and support of a wonderful social worker through the Brookline Police Department. The Women's Partial Hospitalization program has an incredibly caring and talented staff of professionals including a psychiatrist who added a new medication to her regimen and is closely monitoring her at the program but as I said, the weekend was incredibly difficult and challenging.

Tom and I managed to get in our run and pool time adhering to our health and fitness regimen and making sure we practiced impeccable self care. We were so grateful when Monday came and she could return to the structure of a day program.

We got up early as is our usual Monday morning routine. We took time to meditate, do our core workout, have a banana and water and go on our 5K run.

It was a glorious sunrise:


We passed an older gentleman who we have seen walking around the Reservoir. He was running on Monday morning. We smiled and gave a little salute as we passed each other.

We saw another runner who we have seen during our early morning runs and shouted out a good morning to you which he echoed back to us.

As we rounded our first lap around the Reservoir, a dark cloud appeared and it started raining.

Fortunately the air was relatively warm for a December day in Boston.

The shower didn't last long and as we were about to start our 2nd lap I just happened to look up in the sky. There was a rainbow!



It appeared at first as a quarter of a rainbow with pale hues. It grew brighter and we all stopped in our tracks in awe to watch its appearance grow and glow across the sky.



I sobbed and could no longer see through my raindrop and tear stained glasses. I took off my glasses and we continued our run under the rainbow.

I didn't pay attention to our pace but we did serious negative splits. As we passed the two other runners who were now running in the opposite direction from us. We were still smiling and murmuring about how in awe we were of the rainbow connection we made.

The older gentleman commented, "You realize of course that if we would not have gotten up early on this Monday morning, we never would have seen this magnificent sight."

I paused and reflected on how much I would have missed had I not taken a leap of faith to heal my life after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome and followed the lead of the Divine to the sport of running.



To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

My healing journey using the power of visualization is featured in David R. Hamilton's book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body-Anniversary Edition." It's available on Amazon.


Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


***Coming Soon - The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953***
The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953 takes you on Mary McManus’ healing odyssey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, Mary got still and asked for Divine Guidance. She harnessed the power of her mind to heal her body, feverishly writing poetry in which she imagined herself healthy, whole and free from the shackles of her youth. Mary’s quest to heal her life led her to the sport of running that tested her mettle while fueling her journey of transformation from a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members to a woman who embodies faith, grace under fire, courage, determination, endurance and resilience. Running became a way of life for Mary. As you’ll discover in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” nothing, not even a serious knee injury in December of 2014 could stop her on the roads or in her life. Mary’s story is one that will leave you cheering for the underdog and discovering the meaning of different ability as Mary overcame every challenge that life presented to her.

Flashback Friday: A Return to the Boston College Campus for a "Last Lecture"

I had a moment in time in August of 2014 when I returned to the Boston College Campus for the Bill Rodgers 5K Run/Walk to Benefit Prostate Cancer.

Last night I returned to the Boston College Campus again ....

Tom forwarded the email to me from Alpha Sigma Nu and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality:
Dear BC Community:
If granted the opportunity to give a last lecture, what would you say? What wisdom would you impart to the world if you knew this was your last chance? What would you want as your legacy?

The Last Lecture series invites faculty who, in different moments of their career, dare to reflect about their lives and respond to these questions.

This year, Professor Clare O'Connor of the Biology Department will present Genes, Love and Serendipity: A Biologist Reflects, where she will examine forces that direct the course of our lives.

"All of us inherited a 'blueprint' in our DNA, but DNA is only part of the story. The broader story of a career is a complex story that includes community, faith and serendipity."

We invite you to join Professor Clare O'Connor, Biology Department on Thursday, April 26, 5:30 - 6:30 PM in Gasson Hall 305 (The Debate Room).


I couldn't RSVP because I wasn't the original recipient of the email. Tom emailed the organizers mentioning that I am a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society. I received the honor during my final year in the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. One of the organizers, Adeline, said she would be delighted to have me attend.

Professor O'Connor wove together her professional and personal paths showing us the beautiful tapestry of her life guided by serendipity, love and choices she made.

It gave me pause to reflect on the serendipity and choices Tom and I have made that brought us to this moment in time.

Tom and I met on a blind date. One of my good friends, Mary Fitzpatrick and one of Tom's good friends, Marty said that we had to meet. This was before cell phones and Facebook. We took a chance and let serendipity lead the way. Here we are 41 years later, having just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a career. I received my undergraduate degree in PR and Communications from Boston University. I worked at the BU Counseling Center as an Intake Coordinator and PR person. The director told me that I had a gift for interacting with the students and suggested that I pursue a career in counseling. I needed a fast track for a graduate degree and applied to Social Work schools. I opted for Boston College. One of my professors nominated me for induction into Alpha Sigma Nu for Scholarship, Loyalty and Service. What an honor!

It was quite remarkable to connect with the administrators for Alpha Sigma Nu on the BC campus last night and to feel the energy of academia remembering the wonderful education I received. One of the administrators, Adeline is going to add me to the email list for future events. Professor O'Connor emphasized the importance of community in our lives. While enjoying a post-lecture dinner at Oath Pizza, we reflected on how blessed we are to be a part of so many wonderful communities and connected to people who believe in doing good in the world.

After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I took a leap of faith leaving my award winning 20 year career as a VA social worker to heal my life. I returned to my roots as a writer and followed my bliss in my new found gift as an inspirational poet.



Tom had many jobs in technology through the years and we both imagined the ideal next job for Tom that aligned with his values. Three years ago he was hired as a Systems Administrator at Boston College. It's 10 minutes from our home and he works with a wonderful team. A few minutes into the lecture, Tom mentioned to me that his boss, Mike, the Executive Vice President for IT walked in. Professor O'Connor brought together technology and science on the BC campus! I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Tom's boss and felt the circle of life surrounding us. Professor O'Connor beamed with pride when she shared with us that Mike gave her a jacket similar to the one Tom was wearing that had the insignia of the BC IT Department on it.

Life can be quite magical and elegant in the way the tapestry of our lives are woven. The Universe presents opportunities and we make choices and then, we connect the dots as we look back to see what we have co-created with the Divine.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours,
Mary

Proud to be a part of Friends of Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, Inc.

Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


And my latest and greatest book - Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):

Going the Distance: Light Dawns - Serundipity

Our training for Bermuda Marathon Weekend is winding down. 3 weeks from today we will be at the Fairmount Southampton Princess enjoying all that is Bermuda and enjoying a celebration of miracles and healing. Ruth Anne did hill repeats on Tuesday afternoon and went to the gym yesterday for cross training. Tom and I set out for an early morning run.

It was cold and we had to be careful of black ice but what an opportunity to experience the dawn of a new day!

As the grey skies became blue and the sun rose between the trees, I felt this powerful connection with the Divine. I knew it was going to be a very special run for Tom and me.

I could feel my heart open and gratitude overwhelmed me that spilled from my heart to tears streaming down my face. So much emotion flowed as I thought about these last 3 years and embracing all the beautiful and wondrous possibilities that our future now holds. Yes it may seem odd to be talking about the future for a couple who are 64 (on Monday my birthday) and 66 (on 3/2) and who will be married 40 years on 3/4/18. There was a time after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome 11 years ago that I didn't think I had a future. Through writing inspirational poetry I created a future other than the ones that the doctors predicted for me.

Three years ago I was blessed to meet Ryan J Means, DC - a chiropractor healer who reminded me of what I had set out to do when I quit my award winning career as a VA social worker just 3 years shy of retirement age to "heal my life". I had a very serious knee injury in December of 2014 and could not seem to get traction on my healing journey. In addition to his skill and heart, he led me to the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza.

Tom and I talked about the power of forgiveness.



I felt my heart open and compassion flow for a person who had betrayed and exploited me who, up until yesterday's run, I couldn't find in my heart to forgive. I know that holding onto a grudge is like keeping a hot coal in my hand. The other person goes on living their life and I cause myself pain and suffering. The cold fresh air of winter, seeing the day go from dark to light and grey to blue connected me to the Source of all that is. Light dawned and my energetic connection to that person and all they symbolized in my life broke free.

Even though it was cold outside, I was sweating from the effort I put into our 5K. I love experiencing the contrast of sweat meeting cold air. Here is our apres run selfie:


We enjoyed a delicious breakfast together...Breakfast always tastes so incredible after an early morning run.

Tom went off to work and I had an appointment with my chiropractor.

The magic that began during that early morning run continued during my treatment. I felt a powerful connection to the Divine Intelligence within and around me as Dr. Lizzie practiced the art and science of chiropractic care. I had this image of a river of energy flowing through me; a beautiful crystal clear river that I could only best compare to a flexisnake that plumbers use to clear out clogs.

I am so excited for what my future holds. I know I am going the distance in my health and wellness journey healing the effects from paralytic polio and trauma and embracing an abundant life!


What a wonderful way to ring out the old with an early morning se-run-dipity. What a blessing to be touched by grace as light dawned in the early hours the day before the winter solstice.

To going the distance with strength and courage
From my heart to yours,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


And my latest and greatest book - Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):