The Art of Healing – Part 7 Excavating the Athlete Within

The journey of transformation as a polio and post polio survivor has been overflowing with joy, challenges, frustrations, blessings, meeting so many wonderful people, triumphs and tribulations. Whenever we choose to step outside of our comfort zone to grow – and running the Boston Marathon meant stepping WAY outside of my comfort zone – there are so many emotions and experiences that add to the rich tapestry of life.

I am so blessed to capture this journey through the gift of poetry. Here is another snapshot of my transformation as expressed in the poem, Excavating the Athlete Within.

Excavating the Athlete Within

Sweeping away the cobwebs of fear
A beautiful diamond shine
Healthy, whole overflowing with love
The kingdom of heaven now mine.

Gratitude reigns for each life lesson learned
Every struggle and challenge I face
No trauma too great to now be transformed
Through God’s tender Love and Her Grace.

Knowing God’s Love in the core of my heart
Feeling God replaces the knot
The decades not lost it was all meant to be
To bring me to this very spot.

Beliefs from the past – unworthy unfit
An outcast with no right to live
Are now blown away with God’s gentle breath
With God I have learned to forgive.

My heart opens wide with God I stand strong
I’m running as part of the pack
Healthy and whole, overflowing with love
Moving forward, no time to look back.

And there is no time to look back because in just 11 days, I along with my daughter and husband (Team McManus) will be at the starting line of the 113th Boston Marathon running for all the patients at Spaulding Rehab Hospital who are on their journeys to health and wholeness.

Mary McManus
www.newworldgreetings.com
www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus