It took the woman who swam the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida five attempts and thirty-five years. As she emerged from the water, she said to the reporters, never, ever give up.
We see this attitude to achieving great feats from other athletes who prepare for competition for years and years.
But is this attitude just reserved for dedicated athletes?
Can we apply that same principle of purpose and fortitude to our everyday lives?
As a history buff, I have read many stories of our revolutionary war and the Second World War. A common thread in winning these battles against incalculable and insurmountable odds was determination and resolve.
The mindset? Never give up.
Our lives at times can seem like war zones – the battle to survive exhausting. Sometimes adversity can seem endless – stretching for miles and miles. You are exhausted and your resolve and will is tested beyond the norm. And you just want to crash and give up.
It is never easy to keep going when you feel there is nothing left. Yet, I’ve found in my own life that there is always a reserve that will take me through; a hope that with God’s help I can persevere and a resolve that continues through the toughest times.
There are many things in life I have no control over. But I always have control over how I respond to whatever is happening. That is a choice I make.
Marlene Anderson