Education
CTW010 True Love and a Harley with Mary Black Mary Jane Black is a literacy specialist for the State of Texas, a former high school writing and literature teacher, and the author of She Rode a Harley: A Memoir of Love and Motorcycles. Her book shares her story of escaping an abusive marriage, working as a schoolteacher while raising a child as a single mother, and finding true love on a blind date with a motorcycle enthusiast. Excerpts of her book have been published in a variety of publications including the Shark Reef Journal and Oxford American Magazine. Mary Jane joins me today to share her story of finding true love and learning to ride a Harley. We discuss how true love surprised her later in life and the heartbreaking story of loss and grief after losing her husband to cancer. She shares how her husband encouraged her to ride a motorcycle and why she no longer rides after losing her husband. We discuss how our lives take place against a backdrop of loss, despite our best intentions. We also discuss why grief and love are two of the most transformative forces in our lives and Mary shares her advice for those seeking love as well as those currently surviving the loss of their true love. “You have to remain open to love.” - Mary Jane Black This week on Coffee Table Wisdom: How true love surprised Mary Jane late in life The heartbreaking story of loss and grief after losing her true love The routines she developed to help her cope with losing her husband The best way to support a friend or loved one who has experienced great loss Why anger is a natural part of the grieving process How her husband finally encouraged her to ride a Harley How the students reacted to seeing their principal ride a Harley Why she feels riding alone seems to ‘foreign’ to do after losing her husband Her experience with feeling her husband’s presence after his death Her own near-death experience and how it awakened her to continue living her life after losing her husband Her advice for those seeking love and those currently surviving the loss of their true love Connect with Mary Jane Black: Website She Rode a Harley: A Memoir of Love and Motorcycles Facebook Join the Revolution! Thanks for tuning into the Coffee Table Wisdom podcast - the show that enlightens your body, mind, and spirit through ideas and musings from the worlds of health, psychology, spirituality, and art. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show and leave your honest review. Join the Revolution in Positive Aging by sharing your favorite episodes on social media. Don’t forget to visit my website and follow my Facebook Page for even more inspiring ideas and musings on positive aging.