Molly's Way

Today is Molly's 40th birthday. She always did birthdays big and made sure it was a special and unique day for the birthday celebrant. We can't celebrate with her, but we can live for her and honor her to ensure today is special and unique for her. Molly had an easy-going and effortless way about her. She was truly her own self all the time...no fronts or shows. Just Molly. At her funeral, I remembered a few of her best traits, her best actions, her best ways to live happily. I am sharing them with you today in hopes that we can always honor Molly and celebrate her 40th by living as she did....happy-go-lucky, with a beautiful and natural smile, believing in goodness, and loving those near and dear without condition. Happy Birthday to you, Molly.

When you smile, mean it. Let your kids wear a tiger tail or paint themselves purple or shoot the Red Rider BB gun at old cans in the backyard. Take the time to be just a little more kind and thoughtful, and mean it. Sing, sing loud, and get others to sing with you. Carry on her ability to encourage others to be nothing more than who they are, especially your kids, because no one should expect anything more. Teach the world her way of truly listening to whomever she was talking with. Sit through some red lights a few extra times so you are late on purpose because living by the clock isn’t always what matters. Hug your family and friends every chance you get. When in doubt, wear the red boots. Always play hard, and run with your elbows up. Don’t take life too seriously, and find laughter in every day. Know that life is adventure to be lived. Look at the full moon each month and remember all the blessings in your life. Try to live life with a little more dancing and a lot more fun. Because that is Molly’s way.

Be good. Be strong.

Nowhere special, just present

"When we honestly ask which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not-knowing, not-curing, not-healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness...makes it clear that whatever happens in the external world, being present to each other is what really matters." ~Henri JM Nouwen

I saw this on a friend's Facebook page and I just loved it (thanks, Kelly). It speaks volumes to what I've realized about friends and relationships over the past few years. It's certainly sound easy...just being present...but in the real world, it is much more complicated to carry out. It's hard to say why that is, and is probably way too much for this brain to analyze. But it seems to just be. I am grateful for all of you who have been "here" with me in the many, many ways you have found to be present.

In marathon news, we are four weeks out from the marathon and I am beginning to feel like I am going to need some glue and tape to hold it all together to get through 26.2. Aches and pains are fluctuating on a daily basis, and will hopefully settle down a bit. Trying to fix things without damaging others while still trying to run enough to feel like I can make it through the marathon in one piece. I have one more big run this weekend, and then will hopefully be able to mend things a bit before April 18. It's all simple enough. Countdown is on.

In weather news, it snowed today. And may snow again in 2 days. It was 70 degrees 3 days ago. Welcome to spring in New England, my absolutely least favorite time of the year. Days like this are just depressing and make you want to curl up in bed for the day. It's time to ditch the socks for flip flops and sandals. To have dinner outside. Run in shorts and a t-shirt. Let the kids run themselves ragged around the neighborhood. See all the people who have been locked inside since December and find out what's new in their lives. Open the windows and inhale the fresh air. Bring on the spring. The REAL spring! We're ready and waiting!!

Be good. Be strong.

Catching up

It seems as though I've lost the past 6 weeks or so. I can't believe it is March 16. So much happened, so quickly and I am still reeling from it all. I've been trying to get my feet back underneath me and wade through all that kind of got lost in the shuffle. That includes my training, too. I figured it was time for an update.

I've made some changes, rather additions, to the blog. If you look at the home page, you'll see some "tabs" across the top. I wanted to have additional information about the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, the Barr Program that receives the funds, some links I have found helpful, and other odds and ends.

I've started getting my runs in again on a regular basis. In addition to the upheaval of life preventing normal training, my calf injury from last spring started acting up. With the help of a very kind friend who is a physical therapist and a couple of sessions of massage on that leg, it is feeling much better. I ran a 20-mile training run over the weekend, and came out of it feeling pretty well. That is saying a lot since the week before I was limping and having trouble walking after an 8-mile run. So, I have one more long run (20-22 miles) next weekend, and then it is all downhill to Marathon Monday.

As far as fund raising goes, the total is over $27,000 right now, which is just incredible. There has been an amazing outpouring of support of this wonderful cause, and for that, I am so grateful. I am not thankful for the losses that have brought me to this place at this time....running for cancer research in memory of my sisters and brother, but I am grateful that so many people have reached out and recognized the reasons for this run. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your donations. Thank you for reading this blog. Thank you for sharing this story. It is truly a team effort.

But know that I am not yet finished. I am on a mission. For Mary, Molly, and John.

Be good. Be Strong.