There’s so many good things to share! This past week’s theme has been about exercising my body, mind, and soul. Sometimes we just need to focus on doing small good things each day. It all adds up. Suddenly, we are looking at our lives and realizing there’s so much to celebrate!
RUN IN RHYTHM 5K
Mr. Mo and I participated in raising awareness for Cardiac Arrhythmia [an irregular heartbeat or racing heart which causes many complications including blood clots and sudden death]. This road race is an annual event sponsored by the University of Utah CARMA center [a leading research and medical center treating arrhythmia]. This race coincides with the Be Well Utah family health fair at the football stadium which has about 100 informational booths, free health screenings, food and swag. It’s a GREAT event, and best of all, everything is free! 🙂 [free = always good]
In past years, we’ve run this race with both of our daughters. Daughter A was actually thinking about tackling the hilly course this year with her walker, but unfortunately wasn’t feeling well that morning. Daughter B was recouping from an intensive first week of training on a new job. So, it was just the Mr. and me. We scored a sweet pic with mascot Swoop and the cheerleaders!
THE BOOK GARDEN
I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to any book store, but my Bibliophilia is taken to a whole new level of joyful mania whenever I wander the aisles of a used book store. There’s a special something I feel… it’s like taking a trip into a time capsule filled with the treasures and voices of history all laying there quietly & expectantly, whispering “pick me! hold me! read me!”. I wandered into just such a magical place on Friday, stacked to the gills with thousands of living, breathing books. Like Alice, I immediately fell down the rabbit hole losing all track of space and time. Eventually, Mr. Mo dropped off my girls to come inside and fetch me. His plan was foiled, as soon they too fell under the magic spell of the stories!
It was hard to finally pull ourselves away & nearly impossible to choose which little treasure we’d take home with us. We will definitely be going back again soon to the lovely little Book Garden (and we shall bring a box of our own gently used books for exchange)!
NAMI GRADUATION
Over the past 12 weeks Mr. Mo and I have been attending a class each Wednesday night called Family-To-Family sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). We graduated last night – they even gave us nice certificates. I can’t say enough good about this organization. Their free educational and support classes are run by trained family volunteers who have all been through the same processes of hurting, hoping & healing on their journeys through mental illness either for themselves or with a loved one. As NAMI participants continue to courageously walk forward, they don’t have to walk alone, and they can become more educated & empowered. If you, a family member, or a friend is coping with any type of mental illness; depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, etc. or if you are trying to help and support someone with mental illness then this is your place & these are your peeps! Look for a NAMI chapter in your area HERE, and be sure to take advantage of all the good info on the NAMI website.
Twelve weeks ago we entered a classroom of strangers feeling out of place and out of our comfort zone. Tonight we “graduated” together as a classroom of “family”, feeling so grateful for the friendships we have made, and the life-changing love and support we have received from each other. We had supported each other through the bad times and celebrated each other through the good. Everyone brought some food as a potluck – with no assignments. A small miracle occurred as it turned into a really lovely & well-balanced meal without any planning, which I thought was remarkable (because in real life, things so rarely come together perfectly like that). Maybe it was just “luck”, but I’m inclined to think that we had gotten to know each other so well we could anticipate the needs of the group, and we brought what each of us could innately, uniquely provide. That’s how NAMI works so well. Everyone sharing and giving the best they can give at the moment they are at, in order to help the healing process. Mr. Mo and I have become so empowered and grateful for NAMI we want to “give back” and plan to become trained volunteers to teach our own NAMI class in the near future. Where will I find the time? I don’t know. But, when our heart tells us to reach out and do good, time always finds a way.
OPPORTUNITY FOR GOODNESS!
On Sept. 6th I am joining the NAMI Walk for mental health awareness and fundraiser for continuing advocacy, education and outreach. Will you help me with this amazing cause? Just go check out my personal NAMIWalk page and consider donating! Hey, even one dollar would be totally awesome! Many small good things always add up to one powerful force (wow, just look at the ALS Icebucket challenge!!) Don’t forget there’s some really well deserving under-represented charities out there…and you don’t even have to get wet with this one! 😉 So, here’s your chance to sponsor my “Walk” and donate to NAMI.
You’ll get a tax deduction AND a good warm fuzzy feeling inside! – MoSop
Latter-day Soprano 
Yes you are doing great work about mental health awareness and I also appeal the whole world community to come forward and donate as much they can.
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