What Do You Believe?

It's a miracle that I did not become bitter and filled with hatred after my experiences with paralytic polio followed by 9 years of unrelenting violence at the hands of family members. I chose to go into the field of social work where I could shower love, compassion and kindness onto others even though at the time I had not yet mastered the art of showering myself with love, compassion and kindness. I was a fierce advocate for our nation's veterans. Some would confuse my sweetness, kindness and optimism with being foolish or weak.

Yet I possess a strength of Spirit that is fueled by my belief in healing, hope and possibility even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

My trusting nature would take me to places and people that were not always the best choice for me. File that under soul lessons learned and a reminder to do due diligence.

But my belief in the goodness in people and goodness in the world has brought me to some of the most beautiful people and healers in this world.

I love this quote from Helen Keller:



I had very little training in being soft and tender, kind and compassionate and in being hopeful. But then again when I first started out I had no training in how to run and went on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon.

While life can and does break our heart at times, I put my training efforts in being soft and tender-hearted. It doesn't matter to me whether the glass is half full or half empty; I cultivate an attitude of gratitude that I have the glass. I'm so happy that I can allow the sweetness and generosity in my soul to be, tempered by the wisdom I now have of choosing who I allow into my heart and my life.

And although others may disagree with me, I still believe this world is a beautiful place to be.

What do you believe?

"Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" is now available on Amazon.

"Wait, I have one more goal," Mary McManus told her personal trainer in February of 2008 shortly after coming out of her toe up leg brace. "I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital." Mary traded in her polio shoes for running shoes and embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Mary McManus was at the height of her career as a VA social worker when she was told by her team at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s International Rehab Center for Polio in December of 2006 that she needed to quit her job if she had any hope of preventing the progression of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. In “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility” Mary takes you on her seven year healing odyssey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma from her diagnosis, to taking a leap of faith to leave her award winning career at the VA to heal her life and follow her passion as a poet and writer. You’ll experience her trials, tribulations and triumphs as she trains for and crosses the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and discovers the opportunity for healing in the wake of new trauma: the suicide of her nephew in 2011, and the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. This is Mary's journey of coming home to her human form free from the influences of the ghastly ghostly invaders who had invaded her sacred earthly home. Her memoir includes journals and blog posts from her seven year healing odyssey. This is her journey of transformation and her message of healing, hope and possibility.

I donate 50% of royalty payments through on line sales to The One Fund to help Boston Marathon survivors and their families. Copies are also available at Brookline Marathon Sports. $5 of each book sold at Marathon Sports is donated to The One Fund.