July 12th, 2012
It poured rain. It teemed rain. Even Noah wouldn’t have been able to get through the rain in his Ark. The church filled with people longing to say good-bye, to support our family, and most of all to honor my mother.
People traveled in the pouring rain to attend my mother’s funeral. The mass was at the church where my mom had served as a Catechist Teacher, a Eucharistic Minister, and many other church positions. It was the Parrish my mom taught as a kindergarten aide.
I was overcome with grief, overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, and hoped it was all just a nightmare that I could wake up from. Then the organist played a high key and my eyes filled with tears. I realized it was not a dream as I touched my partner’s hand.
Following a casket felt very unusual. Was I following death or following life? Was my mom at peace? Many people had shared with me that my mom wasn’t suffering anymore. “She’s at peace” was a line I heard frequently, along with, “I’m so sorry.” Actually, a lot of words of comfort were expressed the week of her wake and funeral, but I couldn’t hear much of anything though my grief.
My family sat in the front pew and listened to a priest friend say the mass. He gave a beautiful tribute to my mother in words and in song. He belted out the Ave Maria like I have never heard sung before. People still speak about that Ave Maria.
Somehow I stayed composed enough to walk to the lectern to give one of the readings. I looked out and saw a crowded church as I opened the Bible. “Love is patient. Love is kind.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8) Those are the only words I remember reading – love is patient, love is kind.
I finished the reading, walked past the casket and placed my hand on it, and whispered, “Rest in peace, mom. Rest in peace.”
I have come to realize while she has been resting in peace, I haven’t. My life changed after her funeral; my sleeping habits changed; my memory changed.
Maybe the words “Rest in Peace” don’t need to go to those who have passed away, but to those who have been left behind.
I am learning how to rest in peace. I am learning how to rest and learning peace (12 years later). The rains cleared the day after her funeral and yet they still poured within. May my mom teach me to rest in peace. Amen.
Mary Anne
Posted in Letting Go | 4 Comments »
July 11th, 2012
“Embrace the messy imperfect genius. Seek to be misunderstood by creative minds.” ~Ross Martin
One thing I have learned over the years as an entrepreneur is that when I am in my most creative space, I have to release being a perfectionist and jump into my creative messiness. I need to create space that allows me to explore crazy ideas, play with projects in messy ways, and be willing to be incomprehensible to others. Some will so understand me and my process and others will walk away, poke fun, or misunderstand. It is that moment I know I am ion the right track – the track of embracing my creative messiness. In this space I can be judged and critiqued and it makes me a better business owner.
Go ahead – embrace your creative messiness!
Mantra: I embrace the creative messy genius in me. I thrive in my genius.
Posted in Storytelling | Toning the Om
July 9th, 2012
Happy Summer! I hope everyone is having an amazing summer. I am looking forward to my annual Pummel Day. Every summer, my dear friend and I go to the beach for the day to enjoy jumping and getting knocked over by the waves. Or as my friend said to me the first time she realized I loved big waves at the beach, “You mean you love to get pummeled by the waves?” Yes!
The day deepens my connection with my dear friend, my connection to Mother Ocean, and my connection to surrendering to everything that is beyond my control. I can fight the waves and get turned upside down or I can go with the waves and feel a pure sense of surrender. I can go against or with the current. That is always my choice.
Pummel Day is about connection, friendship, nature, and love – the totality of life. As I reflect upon it deeper, I find myself asking:
What if I allowed myself to be pummeled by love? By gratitude? By peace? By grace?
When that wave knocks me over later this month, I will rise from the ocean with a smile on my face – pummeled by love.
Feel free to share your summer story with me to post.
Thanks & peace! Mary Anne
Posted in Storytelling | Toning the Om
July 6th, 2012
We decide life’s pace. We decide whether we have to get someplace at 50 miles per hour or 20 miles per hour. We decide how fast or how slow we go. We decide the pace the pace of our life and the pace of our breath. What is your pace?
Can we slow down long enough to feel life, to feel our heart, and to feel our breath?
Mantra: I allow the pace of my heart to show me the way.
What is your suggested speed limit?
Posted in Letting Go | Toning the Om
July 5th, 2012
I am the peace I seek.
I am peace.
I am.
Mary Anne
Posted in Meditation | Toning the Om
June 28th, 2012
In Pema Chodron’s book Start Where You Are, A Guide to Compassionate Living, she writes, 
“Affirmations are like screaming that you’re okay in order to overcome this whisper that you’re not. That’s a big contrast to actually uncovering the whisper, realizing that it’s passing memory, and moving closer to all those fears and all those edgy feelings that maybe you’re not okay. Well, no big deal. None of us is okay and all of us are fine. It’s not just one way. We are walking, talking paradoxes.”
{Photo taken by Mary Anne Flanagan}
Posted in Life | 1 Comment »
June 26th, 2012
Great leadership demands passion.
Passion is a quality that projects vitality, joy, and enthusiasm for all the tasks at hand. If leaders can show their passion in an authentic way, then the effect will show to the rest of the team and the result can be profound.
Passion is the way you show what you think of your job, and your role. If you are passionate, your team will know that you care about your job, and that gives them high hope that they can care about their jobs too.
I discovered a long time ago that I loved being a leader. And so, showing passion was never a problem. I went into my workdays full of positive energy and feeling like I had the best job on earth.
Did it make a difference? Yes, it did.
When I received feedback about my leadership, the most fulfilling comments were the ones along the lines of “you really inspired me with your energy and enthusiasm“.
Great leadership demands passion.
It’s also a very personal thing to put yourself “out there” like that – it can put you in a vulnerable position. That’s why passion isn’t a trait you see in every leader.
It takes some fortitude to bring emotions to the surface like that, but the benefits are well worth the risk.
And besides, passion brings something else into play that goes beyond leadership – an enjoyment of life.
Great leadership demands passion.
Tags: Authentic, change, Doing What You Love, Hope, Inspire, Leadership, Passion, Teams
Posted in Learning | Toning the Om
June 24th, 2012
Being who I am…
Loving openly…
Living out loud…
Showing up fully…
Holding my partner’s hand…
Dancing in the streets.…
Marching to my own rhythm…
Choosing love…
Happy Pride! Mary Anne
This is dedicated to my wife, Lorene, who I asked to dance 18 years ago on June 24.
Posted in Happiness | Toning the Om
June 21st, 2012
You are invited to a mediation focusing on gratitude.
Take a nice slow breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Close your eyes. Make your spine long and tall. Allow your shoulders to drop away from your ears.
How are you breathing? Allow yourself to breathe in and breathe out. And with your next breath, hear the words: Thank You.
Take a deeper breath. Allow more to come in and exhale and allow more to go out. Allow your mind and heart to take in more and let go more.
Invite a free hand onto a part of your body that needs some attention. Listen and send the mantra Thank You to that part of your body. Allow the mantra to move more deeply there. Breathe in and out. Follow the inhalation and exhalation. Follow your brilliance. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
Direct your hand to the center of your chest – your heart center. Direct the words Thank You to your heart center. Allow the gratitude to grow in and around you. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
Carry this mantra with you. Notice when you are not in gratitude. Thank You. Notice how we can be gratitude with each breath. Thank You.
And take a deep breath. Repeat the mantra: Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
Invitation: In the next 24 hours, find at least three people to say Thank You to and pass on a transmission of gratitude.
Open your eyes and look at the world you help co-create. Look at the world with Thank You eyes. Look at the world with a Thank You heart.
When we see this love and gratitude in our self, it will be seen in others. Thank You.
Mary Anne
Posted in Meditation | Toning the Om
June 18th, 2012
Looking up, looking out, looking in, I live life:
Step by step
Thought by thought
Prayer by prayer
Breath by breath
{Photo taken on Machu Picchu, Peru}
Posted in Meditation | Toning the Om
It poured rain. It teemed rain. Even Noah wouldn’t have been able to get through the rain in his Ark. The church filled with people longing to say good-bye, to support our family, and most of all to honor my mother.
