It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 

 

 Wait? What did she just write? Christmas? It's March 23rd.

In Boston, we call Boston Marathon weekend Runners Christmas. For the past two years, this annual tradition was cancelled. It's been a part of my life since I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon as a mobility impaired runner defying the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. I've been blessed to become a part of the running community that grows exponentially every year as we meet friends of friends. I've often said that running friendships are like instant oatmeal - just add water or in this case - just add running and friendships are forged. 

The hills have been alive with the energy of runners exhilarated that Boston runs again in April. The Facebook feed is filling with bib numbers and statements like "Can't wait to see you in April." I feel goosebumps just typing that phrase. 

One of our dear runner friends shared the photo of one of the banners for the 126th Boston Marathon celebrating 50 years of when women were first 'allowed' to run in the Boston Marathon. 

It is exhilarating to begin planning meet ups with friends coming in from out of town and meet ups with friends from Boston who I haven't seen in what seems like forever. There was a taste of the excitement of the Boston Marathon in October but it did not have the rite of Spring and the feel of Runners Christmas that the running of the Boston Marathon has in April.

Two years ago our City and the world was in a state of shock and fear seeking ways to navigate life turned upside down. While trees were beginning to bloom and flowers poked through the once frozen ground, there was an eerie silence to Springtime in Boston. I began to write poetry again as a way to cope with the all pervasive anxiety set against the backdrop of yellow caution tape on the silenced playgrounds and all but essential businesses closed. My pen became my divining rod for healing once more as it had after the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome 15 years ago. I channeled messages of healing, hope, optimism and seeing a future that transcended the current circumstances at the time. Those poems and essays blossomed into Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic.

 Facebook reminded me today of all that I was grateful for a year ago:

I am so grateful and appreciative of:

Toilet paper

Upcoming appointments with my chiropractor after 14 months

A hair stylist appointment after 13 months

Children having fun on the playground

School in session

Hope for ending the pandemic with the vaccines

Economic relief for restaurants and small businesses

So many things we once took for granted that now we can appreciate in deeper ways.

 

The quote I chose to share on this day in 2021 was: "I still remember the days I prayed for the things I have now." ~Anonymous

 

Tom received his first vaccine on March 23rd last year.

 

Restaurants are buzzing with activity again and the whole city is coming alive in anticipation of Spring and the 126th running of the Boston Marathon. Runners have one more long run before they taper and count down to the first Boston Marathon Weekend in April in two years.

 

Boston Marathon weekend is a time when reunions happen and the magic of the Unicorn fills the air. As the daffodils line the Boston Marathon route, the City comes alive with blue and yellow colors. This year those colors take on even more significance as we pray for and support Ukraine. May the Spirit that fills our City during this time of year create ripples of joy, peace, strength, resilience, love, harmony and unity for the rest of our world.

Merry Runners Christmas!

 

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

 

 

Hugs, Hope and Smiles for Miles on Heartbreak Hill

 

"Should we just go out the front door today?" Tom asked as Team McManus prepared to get in their  miles on a soggy Saturday. "I desperately need a change of scenery," I said. "All right then," Tom replied, "Let's do Heartbreak Hill."

I had already prepared everything we'd need to get to Heartbreak for yesterday's miles. As often happens when Team McManus is training for an endurance event, we squabble over the silliest things. As we got into the car, the rain picked up.

"See if we would have gotten out the door sooner," Ruth Anne proclaimed, we would have missed the heaviest rains.

That's true but oh we would have missed out on so much more. 

As also happens with Team McManus, there is magic and synchronicity while training and fundraising.

When I came out of my morning meditation, a little limerick was percolating knowing that the mask mandate ended in Brookline, one of the last cities and towns in Massachusetts to lift the mandate:

Today's the day the masks are gone our faces are happy and free
it's the end of the pandemic everyone's smiles we get to see.
There's now times for hugs galore two years almost to the day....

 Little did I know the hugs galore I was about to experience.

We pulled into our regular spot in the parking lot before Centre Street and Commonwealth Avenue. We were getting our fuel belts together and a runner came toward us. "Well isn't this wonderful? Hello Mary McManus."

When he saw the puzzled look on my face he said, 'It's David O'Leary.' 

"Oh my goodness," I replied. I immediately thought that if we would have gone out earlier we would have missed this opportunity to see him and so many others out on the course.

David is the host of Magic 106.7's Morning Magic radio show here in Boston. We've been friends for years. The first time I met him in person was at the launch of a nonprofit that was established to support military families and to address the mental health needs of veterans who are at risk for suicide. He attended the event as a survivor of someone who ended their own lives and as part of his work at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Being a survivor of my father and nephew's deaths by suicides, we made a powerful connection from Day 1. David had been a tremendous support to me as Ruth Anne went through her health crises which manifested as neuropsychiatric symptoms.

We walked toward each other and he said, "Can I give you a hug?..." and as he said 'I'm fully vaccinated...' we were already hugging each other.

"Is this your beautiful family?"

I introduced him and asked if we could take a selfie together. He was out on his 18 miler running his 2nd Boston Marathon (the first one in October) for AFSP and was gracious enough to take a moment with us:

Follow this link to make a donation and support David's run for this incredible cause.

Tom, Ruth Anne and I set out for our miles. They are training for the Providence Half Marathon and do a 10 minute warm up before they go off at their pace. As we crossed Centre Street, we saw a water stop in the distance wondering whose it was. There was 1976 Boston Marathon Champion Jack Fultz, our friend and coach for the Dana Farber Cancer Boston Marathon team. We hesitated for a moment before giving each other a hug. We chatted for a few minutes with eyes smiling sharing Tom and Ruth Anne's prep for the Providence Half Marathon. Tom and Ruth Anne went on their way.

I am still in recovery mode getting back to running after needing time off as I wrote about in my Rest and Hope blog post. It was a short out and back for two miles. On my way back to our car I hear, 'Hi Mary!' It was Erin, Ruth Anne's Occupational Therapist from Spaulding who is running this year's Boston Marathon as part of the Race for Rehab Team. She was ready to run in 2020 but then COVID. She did run the Virtual Marathon in September. Here is the link to her fundraising page. I asked her if she saw Ruth and she said "Yes back there." "Have a great rest of your run," I said as she sped past me.

One of my favorite questions to hear while on Heartbreak Hill is from out of towners running their first Boston. "Is this Heartbreak Hill?" I heard a woman ask the other members of her group. Someone started to explain it to her so I knew I didn't need to stop to explain it to her. I smiled warmly to myself realizing that after two years, Boston will run again in April.

I passed the Dana Farber Charity Teams water stop. 'Great job,' they said. I smiled saying how I wasn't training for Boston. "That doesn't matter. You're out here and you're doing a great job. Would you like some refreshment?" I thanked them and we shared in the gratitude and joy of feeling a sense of emerging from the pandemic.

As I was nearing the end of my run, I saw Erin again in the distance. She was waiting for the light to change to cross the street to the Heartbreak Hill Running Company. We greeted each other in the pouring rain and hugged with our eyes. She had finished her 20 miles. She told me what a total joy it is to see Ruth and her dad running together. I gave her a brief update and told her how she is with us every day. The seeds that she planted through her sessions with Ruth continue to blossom. I put my hand on my heart and expressed my deepest gratitude to her. She is a gifted professional who continues to provide support through emails.

When I got back to my car I stretched. Amanda McCann, another Charity runner ran by me. I got to know Amanda through the Facebook running community. I loved her posts with her 'memere' who lived with dementia. Amanda shared her weekly visits with her on Facebook. The love they had for each other was palpable despite her memere's advancing dementia. We smiled from our hearts as she said, "I saw them back there. They look great." {referencing Tom and Ruth Anne} I wished her a great rest of her run. When we got home we messaged each other on Facebook and made donations to each other's fundraisers. She is running with Team Camp Shriver. Since 2006, Camp Shriver at the University of Massachusetts Boston has welcomed children, 50% with and 50% without intellectual and developmental disabilities, ages 8-12, from low income families in the Boston area to a free inclusive summer recreational camp. Here is the link to her fundraising page.

The rain and wind intensified but there was a sense of unbridled joy and gratitude in the runners' energy. It's counterinutitive to think that running on the hills would facilitate my healing but there was powerful medicine and magic on the Newton Hills on Saturday. Tom, Ruth Anne and I said it was the best we felt in two years!

Here are Tom and Ruth Anne after their sensational albeit soggy six miles and the link to Ruth Anne's fundraising page:

                 They were literally soaked to the skin with hearts filled with joy and gratitude.

At a time when the world seems to be filled with worry and fear, divisiveness and feelings of lack, there were hugs, hope and smiles for miles on Heartbreak Hill as runners fund raise for important causes and as a community, Boston gets ready to run again!

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

A Celebration of Life: Sierra Janine Hightower

 

Standing in my living room in October 2007, I asked Janine Hightower if she really thought I could get a little stronger despite not being able to pass the initial fitness assessment she gave me the week before. In a soft yet strong voice with her soulful eyes meeting mine she said the above Henry Ford quote.

She went on to say "Let's see what this body can do." At the age of 29 years old, she was a wise soul.

In February, I passed the fitness assessment and had reached my initial goals, one of which was to get off of a low seat without assistance. She asked me to set new goals. "Well I want to feel free in my body. I want to dance again. {I took ballet before I contracted paralytic polio at age 5.} I want to walk outside without my leg brace. I want to diversify my workouts." Janine wrote down my new fitness goals and after she gathered up her things and had her hand on the door knob I said, "Wait! I have one more goal." "What's that?" she asked. "I want to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. They have a Race for Rehab Team." I had never run a day in my life but had written a poem about "Running the Race" in February of that year.

To this day I have no idea why she said, totally nonplussed, "Well you're going to need a pair of running shoes aren't you?" 

This is the shoe I was wearing with a toe up leg brace:

The rest as they say is history:

Janine waited patiently for us to get to Heartbreak Hill so she could run into the finish line with us. I kept apologizing to her for having to wait so long for us. I shared with her that I was concerned about not being able to finish if I went any faster given the rapidly changing weather conditions. She told me that the person who won the 2008 marathon had to be taken to the hospital and was a did not finish. She was glad I was pacing myself. As we made our way to the finish line, she reminded us to take it one step at a time. "You've got this!"

When we were about to cross the finish line, she stepped to the side saying, "This is all yours. I can't cross with you." 

Here are moments captured from the day by a BU photojournalism Masters student. His final assignment was to follow a runner on Marathon Monday. When he asked Marathon Sports if they could recommend anyone, they suggested Team McManus!

Coming through Cleveland Circle, Janine is waving to our son Autumn McManus.

Coming down Commonwealth Avenue

Close to taking that right on Hereford and Left on Boylston after coming out of the tunnel on Commonwealth Avenue. Janine suggested we let out a yell while going through the tunnel to hear the echo!

Coming down Boylston Street

That iconic moment when Janine refused to cross the finish line with us!

Love and pride radiated through every fiber of Janine's being at this moment. That's our son Autumn who walked in with us from Cleveland Circle.

Raw emotion expressed after crossing the finish line as Janine smiled and gave thanks to God for what we were able to accomplish defying the diagnosis of a progressive neuromuscular disease and setting a goal that most would say was impossible. From start to finish, Janine supported us, trained us and held faith that we would be able to cross that finish line.

I clearly remember walking back from the finish line to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for the post-race celebration with Spaulding Rehab. Janine kept checking in with me making sure that I was okay telling me that she never once doubted we would be able to do this. I told her I carried 11 cents that I found on my last training run in the back pocket of my capris and that I found a penny in Wellesley at the halfway mark. I felt God's presence with us throughout the journey.

On February 21, 2022, Janine crossed the finish line of her earthly marathon. I received an email from someone I didn't know on LinkedIn on Sunday night:

I know Janine was fond of you - I have been friends with her for many years, and so I was looking to find you and to tell you that she tragically has passed away.  There is a memorial service by zoom and in-person in Maine this Thursday at 11.  I can send you the details if you would like. There is also memorial fundraising for her family's expenses.  I am so sorry to have to give you this terrible news.  She was a very bright light!

I was shocked and devastated to think that we would never have that reunion to celebrate healing and life. We planned a reunion but then COVID happened. Somehow our schedules never synced up to do a Zoom call.  She was indeed a very bright light. We had lost touch when she moved to Miami but reconnected when she returned to Boston to earn her Masters Degree in Public Health. I've learned that life is never too busy to make time for the people who matter most. My heart and head are buzzing with so many memories with her and trying to process the reality that we will never meet again in this lifetime. 

One day while out on a run she asked me if I ever heard of Wilma Rudolph. When I said I had not she told me to google her as soon as I got home. Wilma Rudolph became a great source of inspiration for me on the road to Boston and beyond.

I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without Janine. There would be no adventures for runnergirl 1953 if she would not have said yes to my crazy dream of running the Boston Marathon. We have been able to inspire so many others with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary harnessing the powerful mind/body connection and faith in God.

Her Spirit and legacy of love live on through all who were blessed to know Sierra Janine Hightower. Rest in peace my dear friend and fly with the angels. Our journey together is chronicled in my Trilogy of Transformation available on Amazon for all to read and be in awe of how one woman's faith ignited hope, healing and possibilities in another and together they did the impossible.

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

 

The Release of Read Out for a Cure

 

Before the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, I had completed my Trilogy of Transformation and released "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life." I felt my work as an author was complete and focused my goals on expanding my gigs as a motivational speaker sharing my journey to inspire others. When I was out on a run with my daughter in March of 2020, I felt the spigot in my soul open once more. Poems and essays documenting this unparalleled time in our history became "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic." 

Since there were no in person events, I took to the airways to share my story and to talk about "Hope" on podcasts and radio shows.

Hosts Liz Brunner (Live Your Best Life) and Greg Chastain (The Cardinal Cafe) read my poems during my interviews. Dan Thibeault, podcast producer extraordinaire set them to music in the post-production phase.  

He was inspired to send me an email, "“I think your poetry book would be great as an audio book version with each one read by a different person and music under them. Have you ever considered that?”

I meditated on the idea. I wasn't sure what Dan had in mind. I didn't know Dan well. With Tom being semi-retired and doing contract work, I didn't want to invest in a venture. Dan suggested we set up a Zoom meeting.

Greg Chastain. President and Founder of Voices of Hope Boston said during our conversation at the Cardinal Café podcast that my poems “hit every note that Voices of Hope puts out there." 

Voices of Hope is a small non-profit north of Boston that raises funds for cancer research through live theater and musical events. 

Since Voices of Hope Boston did not have their performances to generate funds during COVID,  I was inspired to make this project a novel fund raiser for Voices of Hope if that were something Dan would be interested in. Dan made it clear to me from the outset that his intention was not to turn this project into a project that would generate income for him. He was absolutely thrilled to have me present the idea to Voices of Hope Boston's Board of Directors.

They were enamored with the idea.

Dan, Greg and I set out to get readers for the poems I selected from "Hope." I initially chose 50 poems but culled it to Forty Poems and came up with the title: "Read Out for a Cure-Hope is a Garden: Forty Poems From the Pandemic to Uplift and Inspire."

Read Out for a Cure features readings by beloved local and national celebrities as well as members from the Voices of Hope Boston's own community. 

Greg reached out to Sean Allan Krill, Tony nominated actor for Jagged Little Pill. He said that he would be delighted to participate as would his husband, critically acclaimed actor Harry Bouvy. They were one of the first readers to get us their Mp3 last September.

In November, Tom, Ruth Anne and I went with Voices of Hope to New York to support Sean and the reopening of Broadway. Greg presented Sean with a Voices of Hope jacket and Sean presented Greg with an autographed poster of Jagged Little Pill to use for the Virtual Gala of Hope's Silent Auction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As everyone submitted their recordings, Dan worked feverishly behind the scenes to set the tracks to music.  Dan and I worked as a team to track the tracks, reach out for substitute readers when readers had to graciously drop out of the production and, on February 22, we released the production.

Here is the link for a preview of Sean reading "Fear or Faith."  

All proceeds from Read Out for a Cure will be donated by Voices of Hope Boston to the Henri and Belinda Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies. 

In many ways, the Termeer Center represents a paradigm shift from traditional clinical cancer research. For example, in traditional clinical trials, experimental therapies are tested first in patients who have not responded to standard treatments. However, with genotype-based targeted therapies, clinical trials can begin at a much earlier stage of the disease process, when the chances of observing benefits for the patient are far greater. Additionally, since various forms of cancer have been found to share common tumor mutations, researchers are learning to apply targeted drugs across multiple tumor types. With this personalized, genotype-based approach, the Termeer Center can rapidly assign patients to the treatment that fits their cancer’s unique genetic profile.

Casandra McIntyre, Nurse Director at the Termeer Center for Therapies, spoke at the Virtual Gala of Hope. She shared one example of how the Termeer Center was able to use monies raised by Voices of Hope to help with transportation for patients who had difficulty getting access to clinical trials. Traditionally, there has been inequity for minorities to participate in clinical trials and a major barrier to accessing care is transportation. I experienced this when I worked as a social worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I know what a difference having easy access to transportation can make for patients.

 

To receive your link to download Read Out for a Cure, send $10 via Paypal to maryamcmanus.com or Venmo @Mary-McManus-21.

 

Be uplifted and inspired by my messages of healing, hope, light, faith, and love set against the backdrop of the seasons and nature.

My words set to music interpreted by this community of voices will soothe, uplift and inspire you while bringing us closer to a cure for cancer.

 

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

Rest and Hope - My Favorite 4 Letter Words

 

For the past two years during the pandemic, I've been doing 3 5K's a week and two days of strength training. I missed getting into a pool but took great pride of the strength and well-being I experienced. Being outdoors whatever the weather, breathing in fresh air and experiencing sunshine during winter and running by the ocean in summer helped us to navigate the pandemic. Thursday and Friday were my rest days.

With Tom and Ruth Anne training for the Providence Marathon, I wasn't taking two rest days together. I was doing my 5K's at 6am once a week, often times on slushy roads. I wasn't taking time to recover after my 5K runs because I was support crew for Tom and Ruth Anne. I forgot to "put on my own oxygen mask first." My runs were getting more sluggish and I experienced more joint pain and muscle spasms. I ignored the early signs of what was happening in my body having been so caught up in the thrill of Ruth Anne and Tom's journey on the Road to Providence to raise money and awareness for Victory Programs. I had also increased my strength training. I decided to curtail the increase in reps and weights hoping that adjustment would be all that was needed.

Two weeks ago my body said, "Okay. That's enough." There was no way I could continue to push myself. Fortunately I stopped before I experienced a major injury. I listened to the level of discomfort I experienced and made the necessary changes. I practiced more self-care including stretching using a strap, a ball to roll out my feet and my massage stick taking time out during the day to care for myself mind, body and soul. I intensified my meditation practice and once again harnessed the power of the mind/body connection to heal the inflammation, increase fluidity in my joints and return to a feeling of ease in my body. I know and trust my body's tremendous capacity to heal as I have worked with my body for the past 15 years to achieve what some would say are impossible goals and heal what some would say could only be healed with surgery by harnessing the power of the mind/body connection.

I talked with Tom and Ruth Anne about the adjustments we needed to make to take off some of the stress on me while they trained and fund raised for Providence. I talked with myself about adjusting my response to their training and making sure that I was taking better care of myself. I reflected on how I was pushing myself especially with hills. Because of a preponderance of ice and snow, we had to run around our neighborhood. There is no way to avoid the incline that starts at the end of our street. I was getting tired of doing the same route over and over and over again. I took a turn up a hill we used when we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon. File that under what was I thinking! I wasn't and it was after that run that I realized I had gone too far. I pushed myself through one more 5K after that run (old habits die hard) before realizing enough was enough for now.

I continued strength training incorporating a lot of stretching into the program. I gave myself permission to take time off from my 5K's. Starting tomorrow I will go back to basics and go out for a one mile walk while Tom and Ruth Anne get in their 15 miles. I'll see how I feel and figure out a plan from there. I had to silence what the medical community told me as a survivor of paralytic polio as I felt tired and sluggish in my body with muscle spasms and difficulty going up and down stairs. Fifteen years ago they told me that Post Polio Syndrome was a progressive neuromuscular disease and I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Instead, I recalled this Op-Ed that the doctor who took care of me after I contracted polio wrote when I was doing research for my Trilogy of Transformation:

Caution and Hope On Polio 'Signs'
Published: March 3, 1985
I read with interest the article entitled ''A Group for Polio Survivors Who Have New Symptoms'' (Feb. 10).

Having supervised the rehabilitation of poliomyelitis patients at Grasslands Hospital during the epidemics of the 50's and 60's, probably including the ''then'' infants mentioned in the article, I would like to add a word of caution and even hope as an afterthought.

Firstly, there is no reason to suspect deterioration in the nerve cells in the spinal cord. After 30 years, one must accept some loss of endurance, increased fatigue and even some discomfort induced by other unrelated medical problems. This is true in the athlete with repeated injuries, in the obese person with back problems and even in the jogger with foot ailments.

Any individual with paralytic disability in an extremity will experience the normal process of ''wear and tear'' except that it may be more difficult to adjust to it. Just as one learned to compensate for the initial impairment so must one adjust to the later, more subtle changes rather than develop an emotional hang up of being a ''polio victim.'' ~EUGENE MOSKOWITZ, M.D. Mount Vernon

One of the things I kept hearing after receiving the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome was "we don't want to give you false hope."

 False hope? Is there really such a thing?
 
Unfortunately there are many in the medical community who believe there is such a thing as false hope and hope to many in Western Medicine is a four letter word.I could have easily succumbed to the diagnosis and prognosis I was given in December of 2006 but somehow I was able to muster the courage to do what I'd done ever since I was 5 years old and open myself to Divine Guidance and a touch of grace.

Instead of returning to the Post-Polio Clinic as I had after a knee injury in December of 2014, I turned to myself, the Divine and my loved ones to get back on track. I had to embody my healed self. Old trauma wounds surfaced and I embodied myself as the powerful, glorious woman I have become since the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome. I had fleeting moments wondering if perhaps my body had MS or Parkinson's and reminded myself that the body achieves what the mind believes. I used Emile Coue's mantra of "Every day in every way I am better and better." I felt compassion and kindness for myself realizing that the symptoms I experienced were the perfect storm of two years of COVID, the changes that came with Tom and Ruth Anne's marathon training, Tom starting a new contract job, Ruth Anne looking for a job, and not paying attention to what my body was telling me. As is always true, it's not the stress itself that is important but how I choose to respond to it. Everything was weighing me down. I briefly became victim and martyr.

I am back on track with self-care, finding ease and grace in my body again, revisiting trauma wounds that needed deeper healing and continue to be in awe of what happens when I connect to Source. As Dr. Joe Dispenza said when he was healing his fractured vertebrae, "The power that made the body, heals the body." 

I have rediscovered my love for rest and hope. The seeds of healing are bearing fruit. I am excited to feel a wonderful blossoming of mind, body and soul as Spring moves into Boston. I am grateful to my body for the symptoms that led me back to Source and back to myself. 

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

A Word About Wordle

 Wordle 244 5/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩
⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

How did this simple word game worm its way into our lives and in social media? When I first saw people posting about Wordle, I told myself that I would stay as far away from it as I could without success. Being fascinated with words, language and puzzles and games, I was easily drawn into its daily mystique of an empty board of 6 rows and 5 columns. During breakfast, I ponder what word I am going to use to start my Wordle of the Day. 

 One of my friends posted on Facebook that you can also do the Archived Wordles if you were late to the party as I was. It's become a morning and evening ritual that brings a mix of joy, frustration, curiosity and, according to many articles, is really good for our brain health. There was one extremely challenging Wordle that I let sit for awhile as I went about my day. I saw a "Yield" sign and the next thing I knew, the answer just came to me. When I got home, I entered the letters and they all turned green.

This article in The Washington Post gives a brief overview of the history of Wordle and why it has become our new drug. What Our Brains Do When We Play Wordle was written by a Tufts University psychologist. It's comforting to know that our obsession with Wordle is good for our cognitive health as shared in this article on Healthline.

Wordle seems to be another 'silver lining' of the pandemic. I'm not sure it would be as popular if we were all leading our pre-pandemic lives not having as much time at home or spending as much time connecting with each other on social media. It's a fun way to check in with friends and family. We celebrate each other's triumphs and tribulations. At first blush it may seem trivial, but given how the pandemic had limited our lifestyles, having something novel to experience every morning and being able to share that experience with each other has boosted everyone's mood and brain health. 

In one instance, Wordle saved the life of an 80 year old woman. An 80 year old woman texted her Wordle results to her daughters every day. When they didn't receive the text and she didn't answer her phone, the daughters became quite concerned. They sent a neighbor to check on her.  When her car was there but their mother didn't answer, they knew something was wrong. They called the police where their mother lived and they discovered she was being held hostage by an intruder who was suffering a mental health crisis. 

Of course, as with anything that takes the internet by storm, there are those who criticize the Wordlers, (I think I just made up a new word) and say they don't get it. There are those who are disgruntled by what they perceive the NY Times did to Wordle when it bought the game. There are those who express their anger by revealing the word and you can Google Wordle word of the day and get the answer. 

There are those who swear off Wordle only to be drawn back into its magical vortex. I enjoy when Wordle is trending on Twitter to see people posting the first time they lost the game with their funny memes or conversely the first time they solved the puzzle in two tries. It's often the same word that is the most challenging for most people and if a word that is challenging for me is easy for one of my friends or family members, I celebrate their ingenuity at being able to solve it in two or three tries. Strategies are shared and self-proclaimed geeks try to find an algorithm that will help them solve the puzzle. If I get stuck, I bring out old fashioned paper and pen to play with the letters.

The intention of the creator of Wordle was to provide a distraction for his girlfriend during the pandemic. He has created so much more! I hope that Wordle will become a classic word game and that it keeps its simple once a day formula that brings people together with a five letter wordle of the day.

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

Visit the News and Events tab to listen to my inspiring and uplifting interviews

My books to motivate, uplift and inspire you are available on Amazon

 

 

When the Weather Outside is Frightful

Last Thursday the temperatures climbed into the 40's. We watched the piles of snow from the Blizzard of 2022 begin to dwindle. There was bare pavement and even though the day was grey and cloudy, I felt the stirrings of Spring in my heart as it tuned into a few birds singing their song. I found a spot of beauty in the sky:

 

When I saw the forecast for Friday I thought, "This can't be happening. They must be getting it wrong." 

There was a Winter Weather Watch that turned into a Winter Weather Advisory with flash freezing. Friday morning brought lots of rain and we thought, "Yup they missed the forecast." We went about our day. The social media feed filled with car accidents and a flash freeze happening across the region. The rain turned to sleet and covered sidewalks, bushes and cars.

I was in awe of how quickly it happened. 

Having yet another Friday storm begged the question of whether or not we would be able to get out for our Saturday morning run. Tom and Ruth Anne had a half marathon scheduled on their training plan. I am not one to experience cabin fever but as the sleet rained down (pun intended) I felt agitated. I knew I had no control over the weather and the ice that quickly gripped the region so I knew I had to get a grip on myself!

I meditated and surrendered to what was happening. Fortunately Tom was able to safely get our groceries. We hoped that our Town would do a good job at making our neighborhood safe for our Saturday run. 

I felt deep in my soul that we just had to get out for our Saturday run. Nine miles on the treadmill for Ruth Anne last Sunday followed by two days of running in the cold caused her knee to become injured. Fortunately she had an appointment with her sports acupuncturist on Wednesday. He is also a physical therapy assistant and personal trainer. He used a combination of sports acupuncture, manipulative therapy and KT tape to facilitate recovery. Tom had dug us out from the Blizzard of 2022 and done a 10K on the treadmill. His back and legs were very sore. We knew there was no way we would do another treadmill run. My knees were not happy with my 5K on the treadmill.

As the official Marathon Manager for Tom and Ruth Anne, I got everything ready for their Half Marathon; their longest run in this training cycle. They both thought I was crazy to go ahead as if we were going to be able to get out and get in a run but I know the power of intention.

We woke up to freezing temperatures but glorious sunshine streaming through our windows. It was hard to tell whether or not the streets were safe to run. We debated about whether or not we would get in our run and if the answer were yes, where we would go. As I looked out the window, a runner passed by. "It's a sign," I yelled upstairs to Tom and Ruth Anne who were getting dressed.

I filled up the water bottles and set up the 'aid station' on the dining room table. We donned our layers and did a "Gooo Team" before heading out the door.

The first few moments were testy as we all worked to find our footing. Ruth Anne wanted to abort the mission but I pointed out, "We have no choice. It's too late to head over to try to find another route. We can't do the treadmill especially for a Half Marathon for you and Tom. There's lots of bare ground. It's time for a mental toughness run."

When we crossed paths during our loops, I was going to suggest that they might think about a run/walk strategy given the conditions. I saw them walking and they shared that they decided on that strategy after their first few miles! 

The warmth of the sun despite the cold air was delicious. 

I could feel the Divine with us during every step.

I felt triumphant after my 5K and experienced the excitement and anticipation of Tom and Ruth Anne doing their longest run for this training cycle preparing for the Providence Marathon and raising money and awareness for Victory Programs and their ReVision Urban Farm. I rang my cowbell as they completed their 21 loops on Eliot Street for 13.1 miles!

As we celebrated with pizza and tuna subs we reminisced about our Boston Marathon training. 21 loops around the neighborhood was sure better than 117 laps around the BU track. We felt the sense of celebration of Hyannis Marathon Weekend even though we won't be going to Hyannis this year. I felt a deep sense of joy and exhilaration rise up within me.

There is so much we are yet unable to experience during COVID to feel good but doing good for others is a wonderful antidote to feeling the restrictions that came with the pandemic. Not having access to a gym is a blessing. We have no choice but to go outside, brave the elements and experience the sense of power that comes with braving and embracing the elements.

These past two weeks the weather has been frightful, challenging the mettle of even the heartiest New England residents. As runners, we are trained to be strong, resilient and harness the power of our mental toughness to not let frightful weather makes our lives miserable.

As often happens in February, we see temperatures slowly on the rise and the snow piles melt. What a treat to see 57 degrees with sunshine for Saturday in the forecast.

When the weather outside is frightful I always remember, no storms last forever. Spring always returns. Resilience and strength prevail when we call those qualities up from deep within our heart and soul.

After the Storms

Blizzard and ice storms
sub zero temperatures
seemingly never ending winter
housebound
grey and gloom
thoughts turn to doom
what if's swirl with bone chilling winds.
Does any storm last forever?
Sun returns
greets me with a warm hug
stepping outside door's threshold
having met my threshold
temporarily lost my way
even in the midst of winter storms
though invisible to the eye
Divine's presence shines brightly
always guiding us home
into the light. 

From my heart to yours,

In health and wellness,

Mary

Be sure to visit my website at https://marymcmanus.com to learn about my journey to health and wellness in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma

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