The Way They Heal Me

By Ann Mackenzie

In The Way They Heal Me, Ann MacKenzie guides you back to your spiritual source while showing you it is at the heart of being a mother. Through her poetry and prose, she allows you to see the beauty that can be missed in the everyday little things about motherhood. Her insight about her children and husband may inspire you to connect with the core of your own family.
She takes you on a journey, one that encourages you to find an opening to your soul. Through her inspirational writing, you can find hope, celebration, forgiveness, and love. MacKenzie shows mothers everywhere how to find their sacred footing in a world that can be hectic and chaotic by staying grounded through the everyday family moments.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Aug 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781452555409

Ann Mackenzie

Ann MacKenzie was born in Argyll but has strong family connections to Mull, Ulva (where her father was brought up) and Lewis. After studying in Edinburgh, where she was involved in museum, photographic archive work and research, she returned to Mull to work on the Muile air Mheamhair oral history project. She is currently gathering material on the natural world in the traditions of the Highlands and Islands. Her father wrote As it Was – a best-selling account of his upbringing on Ulva.

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Copyright © 2012 by Ann MacKenzie.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

ISBN: 978-1-4525-5539-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-5540-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012913262

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

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Balboa Press rev. date: 09/26/12

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A Surrender

The Second Time Around

A Mystery

Responsibility

Beginning Anew

The Embarrassment

Three Spinning Tops

Being Prepared

To Honor

To Live

Cherished Time

A Little Acceptance

The Wheat Weaving

Nightly Feeding

One Year Old

Nightly Ritual

Magic Christmas Tree

Participating with Life

Just a Mother

A Mother’s Gift

Midnight Passion

A Mother’s Day Out

Working Mother

The Spanking

Wonder

The Brown Barbie

The Promise

Their Breath

The Bubble

Letting Go

Life

The Healing

About the Author

For Andy, Jenny, and Shelby,

who teach me about love

daily.

Acknowledgments

Approximately fifteen years ago, I lived in Derby, Kansas, with my family while I stayed at home and took care of my two daughters. Derby is a tiny town right outside of Wichita. While there, I started attending poetry meetings once a month. Our group was small but full of exceptional poets. I was the youngest in the group and oftentimes