Running the Race

18 years ago I was getting ready to take a leap of faith leaving behind my award-winning career as a VA social worker. I had been diagnosed in December 2006 with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease and told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I decided to follow my newfound bliss as a poet.

Had I studied poetry or literature? No. Did I know anything about "being a Poet or published author?" No. Did I know anything about starting a small and I do mean small business, "New World Greeting Cards: Original Poetry for Every Occasion?" NO But I knew I had to leave my career to heal my life although at the time I had no idea what that meant.

I discovered the healing power of writing poetry in February of 2007 after getting still and asking for Divine Guidance knowing I was at a crossroads in my life. Here is the full text of the first poem I wrote, "Running the Race":

Running the Race    

Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
everyone around me filled with nervous fear.
Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
the polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.

Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
but with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist, curly hair and a warm, broad smile
it tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take a while.

I always wore those 'special' shoes the kids they poked and teased                                                     
with no support and much abuse with childhood I wasn’t pleased.                                                       
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp, everything else and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
suffered in silence, alone and afraid tried to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post-Polio team and they were on my side.                                            

Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
for the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do
resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body-creaks, groans and need for a brace
while in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.

I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
so much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

Poetry started flowing out of me as though a spigot was turned on in my soul. 

The runner within me was born in my imagination. I had never run a day in my life. When I wrote "Running the Race" I was wearing a toe-up leg brace, a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility.

 When I wrote poetry, I literally felt no pain. I had to have a yellow legal pad with me at all times. The Universe and I were in call and response mode. I received an email about the Newburyport Literary Festival after I made the decision to take the leap. It was held the month before 5/25, the last day of my work at the VA.  I wore a power suit I bought for the occasion as my "social work" clothes would not serve me in this next chapter in my life. I bought tickets for Tom and me to attend the opening night gala with a welcome reception for authors. I had my manuscript for "New World Greetings: Poetry and Musings for a New World." As I waited in line at the bar, I felt moved to let Elvis Mitchell know how much I enjoyed his interview of Peter Guralnick. I told him my story and he casually said to me, "Oh you've channeled a book." I asked Peter Guralnick for advice on how to get published.

I imagined myself becoming a NY Times Bestselling Author and appearing on Oprah with my incredible journey of transformation just a few months after I started writing poetry. Imagination IS everything though and while I have yet to be a guest on Oprah, I have had the joy of speaking engagements and appearing on many radio shows, podcasts and have my story shared in books and magazines. 

While I imagined myself running free and being healthy, whole and healed, I did not imagine myself running THE 2009 Boston Marathon. I did not imagine that I would actually discover the sport of running and how it would change my life forever!  

 I have self-published 7 books. Whenever a reader writes a review or sends me a message about how my words have touched their heart, I feel as though I am a NY Times Bestselling Author. At 71 years old I am still off the sidelines celebrating 18 years of healing. I run my race at my pace feeling the joy, gift and blessing in every footstep. Running helped me to transform the trauma that once dominated the very essence of my being with silence and denial of how it affected me mind, body and soul. Running helped me shed the shackles of once being held captive by the effects of paralytic polio and childhood trauma. Long before I ever took that first step learning how to run at the age of 53, I saw in my mind's eye a woman healed and transformed, grateful and emerging from the shadows my past exceeding all expectations and joining the human race.

 

 

From my heart to yours--

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club .

 

 

April is My Favorite Month!

April is my favorite month. It's National Poetry Month the running of the Boston Marathon, and trees and earth are pregnant with possibilities poised to bloom.

In February of 2007, in the wake of a devastating diagnosis, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul that was initially in the cadence of Dr. Seuss. Why Dr. Seuss you might ask? My physical therapist, Miss Holly, was a healer way beyond her time. She read Dr. Seuss to me before my physical therapy sessions after contracting paralytic polio and had me recite back to her in tandem during the painful treatments. I invariably chose The Cat in the Hat.

My first poem was called "Running the Race."  Little did I know it would foreshadow my 2009 Boston Marathon run! Ever since April 20, 2009, April has become my favorite month!

At first, it all seemed impossible. I'd never run a day in my life. I sat in a toe up leg brace, using a cane and at times, a wheelchair for mobility. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. My first reaction was that of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. "It's no use trying," she said. "One can't believe impossible things." Yet my personal trainer did, in fact believe in impossible things when I told her, after 6 months of working together, in February of 2008, that my next health and fitness goals were to feel free in my body. Diversify my health and fitness workouts. Maybe take a dance class since I took ballet before contracting paralytic polio.

She picked up her things after writing down my goals, had her hand on the door knob and I said....WAIT I have one more goal. "What's that," she asked. "I want to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. I hear they have a Race for Rehab Team."

"Well you are going to need a pair of running shoes!"

April is the month of possibilities. Before we see the trees burst forth with colors of pink, green and white, we feel the certainty of possibilities in the air. What a feast for eyes' delight when that first warm sunny day coaxes the blooms to burst forth. The once frozen ground yields to warmth as perennials slowly rise to meet the new season bringing joy to children of all ages! April is a time of celebration. The dark, gray days of winter are behind us. Boots, winter hats and gloves, ice scrapers, ice melt and sand are stowed away for the next 8 months or so. More time is spent in outdoor activities. April is the pivotal time between Winter and Summer. I savor every moment!

When I crossed the finish of the Boston Marathon I was reborn into a new season of my life. Every day is a celebration of life for me. While Ruth Anne finished her last long run on the road to the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab, Tom and I did our 5K on Heartbreak Hill. Signs of Spring and the 129th running of the Boston Marathon are everywhere! Everyone cheers everyone on. We were blessed to "run into" Rachel, one of the members of our running family. Even though we are still running in winter clothes, nothing can dampen the sense of joy and celebration along with the anticipation of all that is April in Boston.

 I love enjoying the harbingers of Spring, savoring every moment of what is here-now and experiencing the joy of anticipating when everything is in full bloom. April is my favorite month!

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my heart to yours--

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club .

 

Celebrating 18 Years of Healing!

 

Flashback to December of 2006. I was in a toe-up leg brace using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. I'd been diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease and told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I was told I may need a feeding tube, to adapt my Cape house or move to a ranch and to quit my award-winning career as a VA social worker to try to slow the progression of the disease. I was told to expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. At the time, in the treatment of polio survivors, neuroplasticity and the body's tremendous capacity to heal was not part of the prognosis.

I was blessed to first meet an earth angel of a physical therapist who knew about the body's tremendous capacity to heal. After I was discharged from her care in May of 2007, and taking a leap of faith leaving behind my award-winning career, I prayed through writing poetry, harnessing the power of my imagination and the mind/body connection and, in October of 2007, was blessed to meet a personal trainer.

 When I asked her if she thought we could build on the outpatient home exercise program I received, she quoted Henry Ford. I could not even pass the initial fitness assessment but Janine held enough faith for the two of us. She told me I was too young, at age 53, to not be able to get off of the couch or toilet seat without assistance and to be as deconditioned as I was. We got to work!

 In February of 2007, she asked me what my next goals were. "I want to feel free in my body. I want to get rid of the leg brace. I want to be able to walk outside. I want to be able to diversify my health and fitness workouts - maybe take a dance class since I took ballet when I was 3 before contracting paralytic polio. She wrote down my goals and gathered up her trainer bag and equipment. She had her hand on the door knob. "Wait," I said. "I have one more goal." Without thinking about what I was about to say, I made a declaration. "And I want to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. I hear they have a Race for Rehab team." Without missing a beat, she replied totally non-plussed, "Well you are going to need a pair of running shoes."

At this time of year, I reflect on my journey on the road to the Boston Marathon and how running has transformed my life. Every time I get to lace up my running shoes and enjoy nature, watching the seasons change up close and personal, I remember how I prayed for the freedom I now feel.

I always take time to capture moments on my run; I find and feel beauty in every type of weather. Last week I did a solo run in the rain.

 

 

The 'average person' may have seen and felt the gloomy day. I experienced unbridled freedom and joy dancing around the puddles and listening to the raindrops on the Reservoir. 

The sun returned, as it always does as every storm runs out of rain. My senses, heart and soul were tickled with delight to experience the harbingers of the return of Spring. I feel the trees getting ready to burst forth with their leaves, the flowers poised to bloom in splendid colors and baby geese waiting in the wings getting ready to take center stage with their parents.

 

It's an absolutely glorious time of year, whatever the weather. Its magnificence is magnified by my appreciation and gratitude for being able to fully immerse in the change of seasons feeling free in my body's ability to move. 

May 25 marks 18 years of when I left my career as a VA social worker to "heal my life." I had no idea what that meant at the time. I had no idea I would go on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon, discover the transformational power of running and feel the phenomenal energy that happens whenever a community of runners gather together. I had no idea I would become an author, poet and motivational speaker spreading a powerful message of healing, hope and infinite possibilities. I do remember when I prayed for the things I now know in my life. I am blessed and so deeply grateful.

From my heart to yours--

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club .

 

 

 

 

 

Portal to Possibilities

In December of 2006,  I sat in the waiting room listening to the soundtrack to Wicked on my  CD Player. Two songs, "Defying Gravity" and "Dancing through Life" spoke to my soul. I sat in a toe up leg brace and was using a cane for support. I waited to hear my fate from the team of physiatrist, speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy based on the recent evaluations I had since October of 2006.

I was ushered into the airless conference room where white coats seemed whiter by the glare of fluorescent lights. One by one the therapists shared their assessments. The decision was unanimous that my clinical presentation was consistent with Post-Polio Syndrome, a diagnosis of exclusion. My only "hope" was to quit my job and go on disability. My job was my career. I was at the height of my award-winning career as a VA social worker. 

We highly recommend a Sleep Apnea machine at night. Based on your swallowing assessment you may need a feeding tube in the future since you are at high risk for aspirating your food due to your weak swallow muscles. We recommend a semi-soft diet, drinking liquids through a straw and not talking while you eat to diminish the risk of choking. Given the progressive nature of the disease, you will need to either adapt your Cape house or move to a ranch. They handed me a thick binder with resources for housing, wheelchairs, applying for social security disability and patient education.

I know they meant well. They were sharing information based on what other polio survivors were experiencing but I often wonder what other polio survivors may have experienced had the message they received been one that my physiatrist who treated me after contracting polio in 1959, wrote in an Op-Ed piece in the NY Times:

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

I found this article after I set out on my healing quest.

For my Christmas/Birthday holiday, I went to Bermuda. I used a wheelchair to travel. I relied on my toe up leg brace and cane, hugging banisters if I had to navigate stairs. My travel agent with whom I had also become friends told me I had to watch "The Secret." She inundated me with very different resources: Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins and “new age thinkers” that were really based on ancient wisdom that included Bernie Siegel. I had been intimately familiar with Bernie's work ever since 1984 but had gotten away from his wisdom and teachings that talk about the meaning of dis-eases that manifest in a person's body. 

After an MRI of my cervical spine indicated there was a nerve pressing on a disc, the physiatrist on the team referred me to Dr El Abd. There was a flicker of light in the dark night of my mind, body and soul. When Dr. El Abd looked at my MRI, he said, "This is a slam dunk." He focused on pain relief and wondered why I lived with the pain for 10 years before seeking help. So did I! After the 2nd trigger injection, he suggested I see his PT at the downtown Spaulding Rehab Outpatient Clinic. 

Shortly before my first appointment with Allison Lamarre-Poole in February of 2007,  I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The poem, 'Running the Race' flowed out of me. It opened the portal to possibilities as poetry flowed out of me. I imagined a future very different than the one the Team predicted for me. I was harnessing the power of the mind/body connection to inspire me to heal from the once devastating effects of paralytic polio and childhood trauma. Allison let me know through words, actions and her incredible professional care as a PT, that I was not destined to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. 

With her support and encouragement and the support of my family, I took a leap of faith leaving behind my award-winning social work career to heal my life. Little did I know that Running the Race foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run!!!

By all appearances crossing the Boston Marathon finish line was impossible; becoming a most unlikely runner and coming back after injuries and an adverse reaction to the 2nd COVID vaccine to have many adventures as runnergirl 1953? Out of the realm of possibilities! Only it was and is all so possible.

I may not have another marathon to run. Once was enough to show to myself and others what is possible despite all appearances to the contrary. I did come back after a serious knee injury in December 2014 when, by all appearances on the MRI, I was destined to have a total knee replacement in a few years. I went on to run 3 Bermuda Half Marathons in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and the 2016 Hyannis 10K. After an adverse reaction to the 2nd COVID vaccine in 2021/2022, I once again harnessed the power of my imagination through visualization and the mind/body connection and on 5/4/2024, went the distance of a 10K  again in a virtual run. I am training for the distance of a half marathon this year and my goal race is the 2026 Hyannis 10K.

Unbelievable? Perhaps. Impossible? Absolutely not! There is always a portal to possibilities; an open door to find the path forward. The path forward for me may have been to live my life in a wheelchair. If that would have been my destiny, I was sure going to do it "Dancing Through Life." But my destiny called me to one of "Defying Gravity."

From my heart to yours--

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club .

 

Aslan Is On The Move - Signs of Spring

As a poet, I love metaphors! The current political climate is reminiscent of the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia. As I watch the thawing of the Reservoir during our runs, I was inspired to remember "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." I even heard the ice crack the other day.

 

On Saturday, there was a stiff headwind coming off the Reservoir. Tom and I opted to do an out and back on Beacon Street. Despite the felt like 13 degree temperatures and the strong headwind, seeing flowing water on parts of the Reservoir, filled my heart with hope and gratitude. Aslan is on the move; Spring is coming!

 

The felt like single digit temperatures, navigating around snow and ice have made getting outside to do our miles challenging. During the pandemic, we had no choice and so we harnessed our strength, donned layers and honed in on mental toughness feeling particularly bada**.  Tom and I talked about "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" recalling how good prevailed and Spring returned to Narnia.

 

Eighteen years ago, I was literally and figuratively in the winter of my life. I'd been diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease and told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I should expect an accelerated decline as I aged and might very well need a feeding tube and a sleep apnea machine at night. Based on how other polio survivors aged, Western Medicine believed that the damage from the initial polio virus was permanent and irreversible. The power of the mind/body connection and neuroplasticity were not factored into the prognosis equation.

 

When I say that every step is a gift and every mile is a blessing, whatever the weather may be, I know how fortunate I am to have asked for Divine Guidance in February of 2007. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul that unleashed my imagination using visualization to create a future very different than the one Western Medicine predicted for me.

 

Before the awakening that happened after the diagnosis, I did not have this deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for the miracle of my life nor the world around me. While there is much happening in Washington and as such the world that is so distressing, I believe that this Winter will turn into Spring; that there are mighty forces at work both great and small, seen and unseen. Justice, truth and light will ultimately prevail. My optimism was born within me after I contracted paralytic polio. Although my mother was addicted to prescription drugs and unable to care for me and I had to wait for my dad and grandfather to attend to my basic needs, I felt and saw a spiritual presence. Although there was no hand and I lay paralyzed from the neck down, I was invited to step into a well bucket. I left my body and met this Being. I chose to return to my body knowing that somehow some way I would make it through. Through all of my challenges throughout my life, and all the challenging circumstances I have lived through such as the 2020 pandemic, I have carried that belief deep within me in my heart and soul.

 

The Universe speaks to me through various channels to continue to fuel optimism and hope. This morning, The Optimism Institute posted this quote:

You can fuel your optimism by subscribing to The Optimism Institute's Blue Sky podcast.

 

And what better way to fuel optimism than with signs of Spring knowing that Aslan is on the move!

 

The Rezzie on Monday morning's run:

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.

 

March is National Optimism Month

 A 53 year old woman diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome shouldn't be able to run and should have prepared to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, but she didn't know any better and went on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon having many wonderful adventures as runnergirl 1953.

These are very challenging times to feel optimism yet these are the very times when we need to fuel optimism and hope combined with intentional action to help create change. 

Let me begin by saying that optimism is not denial of reality. I love what Simon Sinek said about optimism during the 2020 pandemic. Optimism isn't blind positivity. It's about an undying belief that the future is bright and we can all get there by working together and putting in the work to make it real.

It is a challenge to look for the good these days; negativity is drawn to us like a magnet seemingly at every turn. Yet when we look for the good, we are able to find the good that is happening around us.

 

During the many many challenges I have faced in my life, I have discovered that worry and focusing on the negative outcomes, drained me of my energy. It did not change the outcome although one could argue that the focus on negativity made negative outcomes more likely and robbed me of the strength I needed to face the challenges should they arise. 

And what if -- just what if the tide turns and despite all appearances to the contrary, situations we once thought were impossible suddenly become infinite possibilities. That's what happened to me time and again in my healing journey.

 

 

 

 

 

Research has repeatedly shown there are health benefits to optimism. 

Here are a few detailed by the Mayo Clinic:
    increased life span
    decreased depression
    better cardiovascular health and decreased risk of cardiac disease
    reduced risk of death from cancer, respiratory conditions and infections
    greater resistance to illness
    better psychological and physical well-being.

Today marks the two year anniversary of when Bill Burke started The Optimism Institute and Blue Sky Podcast.  It's amazing how I discovered the Blue Sky Podcast right when I needed a boost to fuel my optimism last November. I had seen a post from Lee Woodruff about her being a guest on the Blue Sky podcast.  Her journey after her husband, Bob Woodruff, suffered life threatening injuries while covering the war in Iraq as an ABC News correspondent, is sure to boost your optimism. Recently, Bill hosted Sal Khan, and Leslie and Richard Strauss who are education innovators. 

There are so many inspiring conversations in previous episodes. I encourage you to scroll through and see which ones resonate with you. The episode with Marko Cheseto gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears as he shares his journey from tragedy to triumph after a double amputation. I am so excited to cheer him on in Boston this year for the marathon.

In his A Bit of Blue Sky podcast out today, Bill shares that this is probably the most difficult time to be optimistic yet by being a part of this community, hearing inspiring stories and stories of people who are the change makers fueled by a sense of optimism and hope, we can stay steady and remain optimistic.

My favorite piece of advice that Bill offers time and again, "Don't let the news cycle control you!"

I have a list of healing resources on my website that continue to fuel my journey in the wake of the once devastating diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. I do hope you will join me in celebrating National Optimism Month and make it a year round celebration.

Please enjoy my poem, "Optimism Is a Way of Being" that I wrote shortly after the results of the 2024 election. I was feeling devastated and shocked by the results after having poured our time, talent and treasure into Kamala Harris' campaign. As I had after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I turned to writing poetry to help uplift me:

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books are available on Bookshop that share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. Be sure to visit my Author Page on Amazon   My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.

 

Hope and Possibilities

 

 

18 years ago I sat in a leg brace using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. I'd been diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline as I aged. At this time of year, with Boston Marathon training in high gear and the anniversary of when I started writing poetry, I tend to wax nostalgic.

In February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance facing a grim and uncertain future. What happened next was miraculous. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul. The first poem I wrote, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Writing poetry opened the portal to healing by firing up my imagination harnessing the power of the mind/body connection! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By taking certainty out of the equation of the prognosis, everything became possible!

I first learned about Bernie Siegel, MD's work in the 1980's. I was in the hospital for a staph infection in my right shoulder. I was blessed with an earth angel of a nurse, Beth Jordan, who told me that I needed to heal not only the infection in my shoulder, but my life. She brought in cassette tapes of his lecture, Love, Medicine and Miracles. When Bernie (as he likes to be called) came to speak with his wife Bobbie at Harvard, Tom and I went to hear him and I was blessed to meet him after his talk. Throughout the years, he has become my "chosen dad" and a "rebirthing coach".  After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I revisited his Forum and his work harnessing the power of the mind/body connection and renewing my commitment to healing my life from the once devastating effects of paralytic polio and childhood trauma. 

It''s been an incredible journey that continues today. As our daughter Ruth Anne trains for the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab, a full circle moment from 16 years ago when we ran the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab:

 Tom and I are doing our miles on the Newton Hills and being support crew for Ruth Anne. As I 'run' into runners I know from social media and/or in real life, I feel the awe of being a part of this incredible community. I had been a stranger to athletics until my mid-50's. 

Last Saturday, we 'ran' into the "Bearded Runner" who I 'met' through the On The Runs Podcast. He loves to take selfies while he trains for Boston. He also gives great hugs and high fives:

Tom and I did our 5K and coordinated a 'water stop' with Ruth Anne after we finished. She had 'only' a 10 miler to do last Saturday. 

As we enjoyed our post-race fueling, my heart overflowed with gratitude for my journey. 18 years ago, in early February, I experienced the dark night of my mind, body and soul in the wake of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. In mid-February in the midst of a very cold, dark day, a light shined through the darkness as I penned my first poem, "Running the Race." Little did I know at the time that it would foreshadow my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Little did I know that 18 years later, I would be celebrated as a most unlikely runner connected to the most amazing village I could ever hope for. 

I chose the title, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibilities" for my memoir after running the Boston Marathon. I truly had no idea that it would set the tone for my healing journey and writing a Trilogy of Transformation, two books during the pandemic and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior." 

I found hope in the seemingly impossible diagnosis and prognosis of Post-Polio Syndrome much as we all find hope in the depth of winter knowing Spring always comes. In the midst of the darkness that is happening in Washington these days, I still have hope and know that infinite possibilities await. It's going to take a lot of hard work as did my emerging from the dark night of my mind, body and soul becoming a most unlikely runner, but I have faith and optimism to light the way.

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon  My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is receiving rave reviews and is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club.