Joy of Sox

The Joy of Sox

The days are getting longer, temperatures are beginning to climb, the snow is melting, the birds are singing and Red Sox Nation turns their eyes south - to Florida. There is a big red circle around April 1st on everyone's calendar. No not because it's April Fool's Day and you want to remember it! No it's opening day for the Boston Red Sox - the old home town team as they play the Texas Rangers. On April 8th, there is going to be a lot of red flu going around as it's opening day in Fenway Park against the evil empire New York Yankees. (Okay if I am going to be true to myself, I can't call them the Evil Empire. I grew up in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium and cherish my memories of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle). {As an aside, when you read Rick's book, you'll learn all about why chanting Yankees Suck does not necessarily lead to a positive outcome for the Sox}.

So what does all of this have to do with anything in my life? The author of The Joy of Sox, soon to be an Oscar winning documentary, is a friend of mine. Rick Leskowitz, MD and I trained at the VA many years ago. He was a psychiatry resident and I was a social work intern. In 2005, Rick wrote an op ed piece for the Boston Globe "Can Weird Science Save the Red Sox". My eye and heart caught it and I was so ecstatic to read about a psychiatrist writing about the power of prayer and doing research in an attempt to validate outcomes. I kept asking our continuing ed committee at the VA to have him as a speaker but it didn't happen.

In 2007, I was contacted by a polio survivor who was desperately seeking help for her condition. I thought of referring her to an integrative medicine team in her home state. I email'ed Rick, we reconnected and the rest as they say is motion picture history. We met for lunch and felt as though we had just seen each other although 25 years had passed since we were at 17 Court Street, the then VA clinic. We talked about The Secret, healing, energy medicine, manifesting, creating and the paths we each were on which were a lifetime away from the VA clinic. By chance, Rick is also the chief of integrative medicine at Spaulding Rehab Hospital - yes the very same place I took the steps on my healing journey.

We stay in contact by email, through his JoS newsletter and however and whenever Spirit moves us to connect. The series of synchronicities happening in our paths could fill many blog posts but I'll focus for now on Rick's book. My copy is so dog eared that as I was reading I couldn't remember where I left off or if I had dog eared a page to go back and review it. Rick weaves science, energy medicine, the power of love, joy, laughter and embracing our inner child with the championship seasons of the Boston Red Sox. As he writes about the process of his creating the documentary with his cousin, the creative process itself is revealed and commented on. Rick's voice is warm, humorous, delightfully self revealing, tongue in cheek at times but with a very serious message to deliver.

The metaphor of baseball and sports is a metaphor for life itself. Rick points out that what it takes to succeed on the field is also what it takes to succeed off the field. My heart leaps with joy to realize that something I have practiced for years - prayer and most recently my healing journey is being studied in the field of energy medicine. I felt such a sense of joy, hope and possibility as I read this amazing book and go back and review different parts to continue to grow and transform.

Rick also talked about the Boston Marathon in the Joy of Sox book. He cheers on runners for the Boston Marathon in his same spot in Wellesley. Although he had already left by the time Team McManus got to where he would be, I could still feel his presence knowing that he was cheering me on even though his physical presence was not there. This and more is what you can experience when you delve into the Joy of Sox and the wonderful world of weird science.

From the back cover:
"What happens when a Harvard psychiatrist mixes his interest in holistic energy medicine with his love for the Boston Red Sox? You get The Joy of Sox, a humorous blend of science and spirituality that expalins the latest research breakthroughs into the nature of the human mind by showing how these discoveries apply to the All-American sport of baseball. ... He also shows how you can harness these invisible forces to become a more effective fan for your favorite team and how to use the power of intention to create more happiness in your own life."

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

No Hats, No Gloves, No Problems

Yesterday was an amazing day as the sun shone, the temperatures climbed and the snow is melting. I was thrilled to be able to get outside for a training run although so grateful for the work I've been able to do in yoga, at the BU Fit Rec Center and on my very own recumbent bike.{Glad I didn't chuck it out the window after last winter since that's all I was able to do.} As I talked about in a recent blog post, sometimes it's a challenge to stick to the routine but yesterday it was sheer joy. I started out with a hat and gloves but was able to lose them early on in the run. My initial plan was to run down Boylston Street for 3-4 miles but there were piles of snow everywhere. I headed over to the Rt 9 Reservoir and couldn't get near it - yup more snow piles so.....

I was directed to do a neighborhood run. Three years ago this month I declared to my personal trainer, Janine Hightower of Boston Homebodies that I was going to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital. As I ran up and down the neighborhood streets and hills I was transported back to a time when I could run for only 30 seconds or a minute at a time. My heart rate would skyrocket to over 160. I remember Janine aksing me how I was going to cope out on the marathon course when things became tough for me. She reminded me that we were going to work on not only physical readiness but mental toughness. I thought about Linda Mitchell and Bernie Siegel who knew me in February of 2007 as I was just beginning to emerge from my dark night of the soul; Allison Lamarre Poole, my physical therapist at Spaulding who coaxed me to take a leap of faith and leave the VA.

I ran up and down hills and covered all of the terrain we used to run together with Janine coaxing me, believing in me, telling me every step of the way you can do this. And she was right. Running the Boston Marathon and everything that has happened since has been life changing. I have gone from that fuzzy caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly flying free and feeling so blessed and grateful that yesterday in the middle of February, after an incredibly harsh winter I could run with no hats, no gloves, no problems. I did a little over a 14 minute mile and my heart rate climbed not as a sign of being stressed but a reflection of how I was able to push myself for over 40 minutes.

Flying Free from New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World {20% of book proceeds donated to End Polio Now}
I was a fuzzy caterpillar who inched along through life
Always helping others with their daily strife.

I inched and inched and helping hands to others did I give
And did not stop to sit and think how I wanted to live.

Anxious, fearful, did not show to others how I felt
But deep inside I kept myself, with my own things I dealt.

I wrapped myself in a cocoon so quiet and so dark
And something began to flicker - I felt a little spark.

The spark began to grow and grow, the cocoon no longer there
My wings replaced my tiny legs-I can soar through air.

The butterflies inside of me that signaled fear and doubt
Are now my friends and we fly free to bring world's change about.

I was so blessed to receive this quote on #ff Twitter from Daily Mile team member and great friend Adam: "Although the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming." Helen Keller

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

Inspire

No this is not about inspiration although we all know that is one of my favorite subjects to write about - this is about a product review for the new Inspire phone from AT & T. As my friends can attest, I am NOT a gadget guru girl by any means. It was a short while ago when my friends Ashley Niven, Jessie Kraus, my husband and I talked about how I was never going to get an iPhone. My husband said he'd go on Twitter if I got an iPhone. Well I held my end of the bargain and am still waiting to get a few more tweets out of him, but as so often happens -- I digress.

I had an iPhone and my husband had a blackberry. His blackberry was the victim of a training run; his Gu in his running belt found its way into the bowels of the blackberry. We went to the AT & T store and there we met an AT & T angel by the name of Seth Ross. He cleaned up Tom's phone and suggested he wait a few weeks to get a new phone because AT & T was coming out with two new phones.

Valentines Day was 2/14 and our wedding anniversary is 3/4 so Tom said that we should get his and hers Inspire phones. The AT & T Store at Chestnut Hill sold out of the Inspires on the 13th but on the 15th, the assistant manager was able to secure two brand new Inspire 4G phones for Tom and for me.

As I mentioned I am not a gadget guru but Seth took such time and patience showing us how to use our new phones. Of course Tom was off and running with his but I had to go back the next day for an extra tutorial. And now, thanks to Seth, my home page is set up just like my desktop with everything I need to stay connected while on the go. Thank you Seth and thank you AT & T for bringing this 57 year old gal into the 21st century. Inspire - it's like having a desktop in the palm of your hand. So for all of you gadget gurus out there - run don't walk to the AT & T store in Chestnut Hill and ask for Seth Ross where customer service is beyond compare.

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

No Matter What....

These past few weeks have been extremely busy for me. A phenomenal fund raiser concert, an interview on the Jordan Rich show meaning I did not get to bed until 2 am, a breakfast Rotary Club meeting two days later for which I had to get up at 5:30 am; planning two more fund raisers for my husband's Boston Marathon run; sharing my inspirational journey on More Health Less Care magazine (story on p. 26); babysitting for a dear friend so she could get her massage and also attend a birthday party and being my husband's press agent as a team of BU students want to chronicle my husband's Boston Marathon run and supporting him for the 17 mile long run last Saturday from Natick to the finish line. Throw in creating original poetry for clients of New World Greeting Cards, blogging, writing poetry and dealing with the extreme changes in temperature these past few days and a part of me wants to just crawl under the covers until Spring arrives and not do another thing.

But - despite feeling tired and achy I know that no matter what, I must put my work outs and time to attend to stretching and exercises high on my priority list. I'm not sure why we believe that it's so easy to just let the exercise go. It is counter intuitive to exercise when feeling tired yet every time I do not feel like exercising, I find that I feel so much better afterwards. Yesterday after getting up at 5:30 am, driving an hour to a Rotary meeting and giving my talk and then driving home I thought how am I ever going to work out today? I decided a power nap was in order and even though I still felt tired I knew it was imperative that I get on the recumbent bike no matter what....

This morning after a wonderful night's sleep my body was still not exactly raring to go given the intense level of activity these past two weeks and the change in my schedule, but I got out my weights, my pilates ball and blue theraband and did a core workout and strength training. I remember the words of my physical therapist at Spaulding Rehab, Allison Lamarre Poole as she discharged me from outpatient care "You're gonna keep up with all of this right because you don't want to go back to where you were." I nodded in agreement (pictured above is me Christmas 2007 as I was just beginning my strength training with Janine Hightower before I ever laced up a pair of running shoes) knowing that it takes discipline, perseverance, strength and courage to maintain a health and fitness regimen. It is important to know when to push and when to rest and often times it is a delicate balance one that we all learn along the journey. But this I do know - no matter what - I am moving forward in my health and wellness journey pushing through the times when I would rather just stay in bed or skip a workout. I am blessed to have a dream team of support on this journey especially my husband Tom.

It would be so easy to fall prey to the victim role as a wife of a marathoner but Tom and I are finding an incredible balance. Last Saturday I supported him in his 17 mile run; on Sunday we were going to go for a power walk around Castle Island so he could stretch and I could train for Hyannis. The wind was stinging off the water so we decided to head indoors to the BU Fit Rec Center. I ended up doing a tempo run for 3 miles and he was able to stretch and recover from his 17 mile run. Then we played in the pool for about 45 minutes allowing the warm water to help us both relax and recover from our runs. This Saturday I will go to a basics Vinyasa class at Sweat and Soul Yoga. We are finding ways to keep a balance as we each pursue our passions but no matter what take time to take care of ourselves mind, body and spirit!

What keeps you motivated to stay active no matter what? I'd love to hear from you.

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours
With love,
Mary