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Hiking, Writing, and Healing
May 21, 2021 By Mary Anderson As far back as I can remember, I have lived with dissociation that comes with post-traumatic stress. In my early childhood, to survive severe abuse I created separate places in my being where certain experiences lived, walled off from the rest of myself and not able to interact with…
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How to Cross a River
May 20, 2021 By Mary Anderson Mary at a river crossing in New York State. Cross as early in the morning as possible, so the water will be lower, due to cooler night temps slowing down the snow melt. This will ensure you are half asleep when you hit the icy water. Try to assess…
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Finding the Rhyme and Rhythm
May 19, 2021 By Mary Anderson When I write poetry I feel that every word counts in a way it does not when I write prose. It’s kind of like how every ounce matters in my pack these days. Certainly I weighed everything last year and even cut the handle of my toothbrush shorter. But…
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Balance
May 18, 2021 By Mary Anderson So yesterday I wrote about cutting down on weight. Today it is about balance. I’m working on finding the balance between what I keep in my pack and what gets left behind—just like when I strive to find the balance in my writing between what gets left in and…
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Sleeping on the Trail
May 17, 2021 By Mary Anderson Settling in for the night in the Chihuahuan Desert. It is not the mice or bear that sometimes make me restless at night. It is all the stuff inside my sleeping bag. I can’t let my water filter freeze, so I throw it into the foot of my sleeping…
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The Rules of the Bear Game
May 16, 2021 By Mary Anderson First, figure out if it is a black bear or a grizzly. Make sure not to make eye contact. While it is charging you, look at its ears and face. Are the ears back, or up and forward? This will help your terrified brain decide if it is in…
The Mary Badass
A Ruminating Blog About Personal Healing, Adventure and Day to Day Life
The Mary Badass 