Another thing to do on the TO DO list.

One morning I woke up and before the kids were up getting ready for school, I clicked sign up for a 50km run for the month of May to fight MS. Exhausted as I am, I felt an urge to join. Why not?

I have always enjoyed running in the past, but had never become serious about it. It has always seemed impossible to find time and I was never consistent with running, even before having children. I feel like this is something I need to do for my own health as well as for my friends who are living with MS and of course for everyone else living with MS. I would like to tell you more about my friends; but first, how will adding a 50km run to my list of responsibilities change me? Why now? Perhaps it’s because age is creeping up on me? The weight of the world is on my shoulders and is pushing me to do something different even though my hips are telling me I am too old.

I have witnessed how life can be turned upside down during this COVID19 pandemic and I have cared for many people who were sick. I have also witnessed how people have come together during these years. People are amazing and friendships, family and community are what creates joy.

Hypertension is not my friend and I know I can make a change to my lifestyle through running both physically and mentally. How is this going to happen when I have 3 jobs and have 2 kids and a cat and a puppy? My 3 jobs include the biggest job of them all and that is being a Mom. My other jobs are in nursing. I cannot seem to manage to keep our home organized and I feel tired and often feel cranky and feel like I have no time to do art/painting. My hope is that through running, I will become healthier and happier not only for me but my children as well. I keep hearing about mindfulness and I believe this will help me.

Somehow an intention is one of the first steps. I’ve learned in nursing education how important it is to set a goal. Small goals and smart goals. A quote I love by Frida Khalo is “Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” This for me is very meaningful in many ways. To have something, to loose it and to still have dreams that can become a reality. I’m not talking about fame, I’m talking about personal growth and the ability to continue to grow in what life has thrown at us; its honestly and sadly not always possible to grow and flourish and this is why we need each other to re-pot our roots and tend to us gently.

I have learned so much from both of my friends about life. I would like to dedicate my upcoming 50k challenge to my friends who were diagnosed with MS. Here are two artworks I did of my friends.

This is a portrait of Cecile I painted from when we met way back in high school. Cecile is a wonderful, strong and courageous person and artist. She has done so much for people around her and has always devoted much of her time to volunteering in the community. She is caring, and always thinks of others.

The second is a sketch I made of my friend Daniela whom I have got to know in the most recent years.

Daniela is an amazing and fun person. She is a mom who is very creative in so many ways. She is very intuitive and thoughtful in all her actions and has been very inspirational to me and The Parenting Group, where she has always contributed so much on an almost daily basis. I would like to share one of her videos she made of some of her saved artwork/fashion designs. She carefully saved it to show her daughter what Mom was able to do back when her hands and fingers were stronger. Her daughter is very lucky to have such a fabulous Mom. Daniela goes above and beyond with her daughter all the time and is an excellent role model. Daneila’s confidence helps her daughter grow with confidence and self-respect.

Please enjoy watching her throwback TikTok video.

https://www.tiktok.com/@danikal5/video/7059593464530373893?_t=8RrsJRQIOTm&_r=1

I asked my friend Cecile to share a little about her self and I am pleased to share her story here.

Cecile Lachance’s MS Journey- written by Cecile Lachance

Twelve years ago I was diagnosed with MS. It was truly frightening at the onset, I could not walk at all and my eyesight on the left side of me was impaired. I was dizzy and felt like I was living in a black hole. I was Cecile, but somehow I was hidden inside and I was viewing my disabled body through a tunnel leading to the outside. I felt disjointed from the physical world.

I was hospitalized and over the next few weeks I got better with treatment. I lost my job I had just started after successfully completing a competition process with the Federal Government. I had not worked long enough to claim any insurance.

For six months I dealt with a lot of losses. My job but more importantly my physical health.

I then chose to go back to the University of Ottawa. It was a conscious decision to challenge myself but also to attain what would be an achievement I had given up on earlier in my life. 2 years later I graduated.

While facing the challenges of MS, I have also been facing a lifetime of numerous mental illnesses. I keep positive by appreciating the beautiful people surrounding me who have supported me even through the rough patches. One of those people is Kathleen whose strong arm held me up when my body did not.

Kathleen has also supported me through my artistic journey. I met her in a school for the arts and in part it was her gentle encouragement that made me believe my art was about expressing me. Through my art I express images through textures and colours. I feel most creative making collages and painting.  As I navigate this winding journey of MS and mental illness my art has been a stable force in keeping me well.

I am sharing some of my artwork here:

Please support Kathleen Morbey on her MS Marathon- it is for such a worthwhile cause,

Cecile

https://www.themay50k.com/fundraisers/kathleenmorbey