Giddy with Gratitude - Heartful of Sadness - Heartful of Hope

 

"Didn't you almost feel giddy that you could be in a store without a mask?" my dear chiropractor and friend Dr. Lizzie  asked me during yesterday's treatment.

"Yes," I replied. "Giddy with gratitude!"

What a contrast to that moment on March 12, 2020 when we hugged goodbye not knowing we wouldn't see each other for 14 months. "As long as things are open, I'll be here," she said but things quickly shut down the next day.

We shared how thrilling it was to be able to enter and exit a store from whatever door we'd like and to be able to go up and down the aisles no longer needing to pay attention to the one way signs. I recalled with horror the scene at Star Market on Friday March 13th when panic was palpable and empty shelves greeted us at every turn.

Maintaining an attitude of gratitude is vital and was especially vital during the pandemic. I did not set resolutions for 2021 but set my hopes for the New Year: (from Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic":

May I continue to appreciate and savor moments of beauty, joy and laughter and work to create happy times regardless of circumstances.

 

May I continue to take time for sunrises and sunsets, breathing fresh air, anticipating Spring and having a daily practice of gratitude.

 

May I continue share the blessing of my journey to continue to spread a message of healing, hope and possibility. May I be open to opportunities to share my journey and be a beacon of healing light for others.

 

May I open my heart to fully appreciate getting my hair done again, gathering for races, going out to a restaurant, not having to wear a mask, hugging friends and family outside of our ‘bubble’, a President who governs and leads and hope for healing our country and the world.

 

May I continue to deepen my connection to Source and to nature and find new ways to ignite a sense of wonder and awe within me.

 

May I remember that I have endured so much in my life especially during this past year and I have the strength, the faith, the optimism, hope and resilience to overcome any challenges that may come my way. 

 

As I walked to my chiropractor's office at her new location, I savored the beauty of Boston in Spring, the quiet ambiance of Beacon Street away from her former office location in Copley Square. I loved how I could breathe in the fragrant air of Springtime without a mask. The waiting room is fully open with the tape removed to ensure social distancing on chairs, yet masks are still required for the office. My heart overflowed with gratitude to have regular chiropractic treatments again.

Dr. Lizzie and I shared in the joy of the shifting tide of the pandemic while also sharing in the sadness that lingers with favorite stores and restaurants that have closed, the collective trauma we all experienced in different ways and the fear and myriad of emotions that linger as we emerge from the pandemic world. While some shops, restaurants and places of employment have transformed for the better, there are many that have a cloud lingering from the trauma. Stress does take its toll sometimes bringing forth great transformation like coal to a diamond and other times bearing down wreaking havoc with what once was.

We chatted about the pandemic silver linings that we want to keep in our lives and not get swept up in an impossible goal of needing to make up for lost time.

I feel giddy with gratitude that all the metrics and statistics indicate that the pandemic, like one of the worst storms we have ever had to endure is "moving out to sea."  I am excited to be able to go to the beach, swim in the ocean, stay overnight at a hotel, go out for dinner and feel the freedom to choose our activities. Lunch dates and hugs with friends will be so incredibly delicious!

My heart feels the sadness of the loss and devastation that exists in the wake of the pandemic and yet is filled with hope that we can rebuild with great resilience moving forward in our lives.

Gratitude and Grace

A joyous jubilation
a jamboree
freedom
and yet…
a heaviness in heart
empty store fronts
empty seats at dinner tables

How do we heal from the carnage?

Gratitude heals the hole
making us whole
grace reigns from clouds of despair
sifting and sorting through rubble
treasures found.

Strength and resilience
beyond what we ever believed
was possible.

 

Be sure to listen to my conversation with Greg Chastain and Ed Siegel on their Voices of Hope podcast, The Cardinal Cafe. From Greg Chastain: The latest episode of The Cardinal Cafe is up! On this episode we meet Mary McManus. Mary is a motivational speaker, author, poet, 2009 Boston Marathon Finisher, polio and trauma survivor. She has a remarkable story of resilence, healing, Hope and possibilities. Once you hear her tell her story you will want to rush out to purchase her newest book of poems “Hope is a Garden” which she wrote during the recent pandemic. So please join us for this incredible story.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

For more information about my journey from childhood polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, visit my website.  

Be sure to check out my website's News and Events page for upcoming and past interviews where I share my remarkable and inspirational journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma.

My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.

 

 

Pandemic Silver Linings

I've known challenges from an early age. At 5 years old I contracted paralytic polio in one of the last epidemics in the United States. Seeing what is happening with COVID, I now believe I was one of the 'breakthrough' cases since I had received 5 vaccines and there was no indication mine was one of the 'bad batches' that happened from a lack of quality control in 1959. I endured years of abuse at the hands of family members from the age of 8 until my father ended his life at the age of 17. Those challenges turned out to be the greatest gifts in my life informing the woman I am today.

At the age of 53, the gift of polio kept on giving as I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards. I experienced a joyous journey of transformation after the diagnosis.

The lessons learned and wisdom garnered throughout those challenges held me in good stead during the COVID pandemic. We looked beyond fear and grief to find the silver linings; the treasures of the experience that will stay with us moving forward in our lives.

Since gyms were closed, we couldn't swim or use cardio equipment. We went outside for runs and walks. There was only one day that the weather prevented us from getting outside. We knew how vital it was to exercise and get plenty of fresh air and sunshine regardless of the weather. Running or walking 3-4 times/week with extra mini walks in between around the neighborhood built strength. Rather than breathing in air with the smell of chlorine, we breathed in fresh air and took into our hearts and souls the change over of the seasons.

Tom worked from home and not having a commute, albeit a short one, gave us time to be together, prepare wonderful meals or do take out enjoying leisurely meals together. Breakfast was unhurried and we were able to do early morning or noon time runs together.

I missed having treatments with my chiropractor who took an extended maternity leave during COVID, but I was able to tap into my body's tremendous capacity to heal from the late effects of polio and trauma connecting to the Divine in deeper ways. I savored that first treatment with her with intense gratitude.

Our meditation practice strengthened in depth and frequency.

We have a deep appreciation for our home and our yard. For the first time, we planted a flower garden. Every time I looked at that little plot of ground, it was a reminder of hope and faith. What excitement I felt as the little sprouts poked through the once frozen earth

 

 and then bloomed into magnificent tulips.

We planted our tomato seedlings and marigolds in the raised bed we built last year:

We had an incredible harvest last year that we shared with neighbors with masks and social distancing. We developed a greater sense of community in our neighborhood sharing in the somber mood of last year to find ways to uplift each other while keeping apart. This year that connection remains and is transformed into joy and hugs.

We were all challenged to allow our true selves shine through beyond clothes, makeup and hair styles. We were called upon to use humor and ingenuity when it came to our hair. We had many wonderful belly laughs as we attempted to style each other's hair. What an incredible treat to go to the salon after 14 months; an experience I will never again take for granted!

If it weren't for the pandemic, I am not sure how motivated we all would have been to get out the vote as we did. Whatever your politics may be, the truth is our democracy was threatened and incompetence at the highest levels of government were exposed by the pandemic. The power of the vote and 'we the people' was a silver lining that shined through the shroud of darkness hovering over our nation.

As time goes on, I am sure other silver linings of the pandemic will become apparent to me and to us as a global community.  

These past 14 months have tested our mettle while offering gifts and treasures that will forever be a part of the tapestry of our lives.

Here's to healing, hope and infinite possibilities of a transformed world.

Be sure to tune into Dreamvisions 7 Radio to hear my conversation with Bernie Siegel, MD on his show Mind Health Matters May 20 and 21st, May 27th and 28th at 12:00am and 12:00pm ET. We talk about my newest book, my journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma, healing, hope and possibilities and how my relationship with Bernie helped me on my journey of transformation since the 1980's.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

For more information about my journey from childhood polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, visit my website.

"Hope is a Garden:Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic" along with all of my books to inspire and uplift you is available on Amazon.