It's been a very stressful 3 months as our daughter continues her struggle with her mental health. This past week was extremely challenging for her and hence for us as a family. My training schedule got shifted around. I usually run with Tom on Saturday, we swim on Sunday, run early morning Monday, I swim on Tuesday and we strength train on Wednesday. Between what was happening with our daughter and Tom's work and a chiropractic appointment early on Wednesday, I decided to strength train on Tuesday, take Wednesday and Thursday off and go to the pool on Friday.
When the weather looked great for a run on Friday, I decided to get out and do a solo run.
It was chilly with a strong wind. There was something invigorating about running in the chilly wind. The baby goose was grazing with its family and the colors of Spring seemed especially vibrant as the sun shined on the leaves on the trees. It was quite a contrast to what I was feeling when I first set out on my run. My heart felt heavy and my breathing was labored but with each foot strike, I released my burdens and worries to the Divine.
The presence of the Divine surrounded me with bird calls, gentle laps of the waves of the Reservoir on the shore and the songs that came up from the mix on my playlist. I felt a sense of being alone that transformed into a sense of solitude that became a sense of One with all that is.
There were moments of struggle, of ease, of freedom and feeling the need to turn everything over to the Divine. I felt powerless to be able to do anything to help my daughter - that it's her journey and yet I felt empowered to be able to get out and run and be with the Divine sharing my deepest most thoughts, fears and hope.
It was, for the most part, a hard run but those are the runs where we are blessed to meet ourselves on the road.
I don't know what I did before the gift of running came into my life 10 years ago. Eleven years ago the effects of childhood paralytic polio and severe childhood trauma reared its head in the guise of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. The medical community said if you use it you will lose it. My Spirit said, through the power of my pen, my divining rod for healing in the form of inspirational poetry - get moving and run the race set before you with endurance. Running is my medicine, my therapy and a vital part of my life whatever the distance and whatever the pace. I am so grateful that I can get out on a run and leave my troubles on the road.
While I kicked off my kicks, hydrated and had a banana, I sat back and took a deep breath saying to myself, "That felt soooo good."
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):
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