The first poem I wrote, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run.
Poetry also enabled me to heal my past through gratitude, forgiveness and grace.
When the pandemic began last year, I once again turned to the healing power of poetry and documenting our experiences as we navigated our way through uncharted waters of a global pandemic. I continued to document events and write poetry as we shifted out of a State of Emergency to what everyone thought was going to be a Post-Pandemic world at least here in the United States.
Once we were vaccinated we were told we could take off our masks, would not need to quarantine or be tested if a contact tested positive or became ill and we could resume activities that we put on hold for many many months. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. There was celebration and joy as people gathered in the streets, resumed travel, went out to the ballgames and we experienced a sense of collective freedom from COVID.
But on July 4th, the very day that we were going to celebrate our independence, Provincetown had an outbreak of cases both symptomatic and asymptomatic in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Infection rates started to rise especially in areas that a low vaccination rate.
New CDC guidelines to mask up indoors and new guidelines for getting testing and being in quarantine even if you are fully vaccinated emerged albeit with some confusion as often happens with a novel virus now with a variant.
Tom received an email that all Boston College staff, faculty and students will need to be tested before heading back to the office and school.
I must admit, I felt the energy drain out of me flashing back to when we were waiting for Tom's test results.
From "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic":
"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 started 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 flapping 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 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."
As we set out on our early Monday morning run, I felt a heaviness I had not experienced in awhile. I decided I needed to shift out of the state I was in with harnessing the power of the imagination .
Massachusetts is offering a VaxMillions lottery for all who have been fully vaccinated in Massachusetts. Today was the second drawing.
"Okay Team," I announced. "Let's practice for when we get the call that we won."
We made sure our phone ringers were on high.
"Hello. May I please speak with Ruth Anne McManus?"
"Yes. This is she."
"This is Mary {pause for a quick second} Rouget from the Department of Public Health. I am calling to congratulate you on winning VaxMillions." I went on to say what the next steps were for her to claim her prize. We burst out laughing with the name I quickly came up with. Ruth Anne took on the persona of Ms. Pickles when she called me.
When it was Tom's turn to win I started crying with gratitude as if he really won. Ruth Anne reminded me that I wasn't supposed to be the one with excitement as the one calling to congratulate him. More laughter as we made our way to the Reservoir.
It was Tom's turn to 'call' me. He put on a foreign accent and we all laughed so hard we could hardly run.
Next we practiced holding the check for our photo. It all felt so real and so wonderful to experience the thrill of receiving a million dollars to be fully vaccinated.
We released it and focused on the beauty of a summer's day in Boston where all the troubles of the world just melt away with every foot strike:
The sweat poured as the sun was surprisingly hot but there was a delightful cool breeze that kept us comfortable. We talked about the excitement for Tom's upcoming vacation and celebrating the twins' birthday in person a week from Wednesday.
We enjoyed a delicious breakfast when we got home and were ready to embrace a new day, a new week and a new month ahead.
Focus
Drowning out the din
focusing on the beauty of a summer morning
I spy with my little eye
magnify the magnificence
through my looking glass
Troubles melt away with sweat
with each foot strike
strength surges
global pandemic still reigns
reigning in my thoughts
focus
Towering trees
a canopy of green
swans swimming
serenity
calming a trembling heart
Divine love triumphs
signs surround
focus.
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary
Visit my website
to learn more about my journey of transformation in the wake of
paralytic polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston
Marathon and beyond.
Be sure to listen to my recent conversation with Liz Brunner, award winning journalist, now CEO of Brunner Communications on her podcast Live Your Best Life. I share how I live my best life despite the challenges that I faced at an early age.
For all of my recent appearances, be sure to visit my News and Events tab on my website.
My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.
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