Courage

Today I was TiRed.  Realllly tired.  As the day went on, I didn't get any less tired.  I began the day with the intent to workout at some point.  By mid-afternoon I was much less unsure about that plan.  I came home and thought that maybe after it cooled down some I'd go for a run.  Then I cleaned.andcleaned.andcleaned the house.  While I was cleaning, I kept telling myself, "just a little bit more.  You're almost done."  Like I was pushing myself through a hard workout.  Psshh.  I didn't workout.

I cleaned.  I ate a sandwich.  I laid in my hammock and read.  Then I checked out ted.com.  Ted.com, in case you don't know, has short talks by all sorts of fascinating people.  Some talks are science based, some inspirational, and some simply informational.  It's good stuff.  Sometimes if I have lunch at my desk I'll listen to a Ted talk while I eat.

This evening I came across a talk by an incredibly inspirational woman, Diana Nyad.  She attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida, I believe three different times (but don't quote me on that).  Once when she was young and recently twice, at the age of 60.  I really connected with her story (I know that sounds cheesy).  It's so inspiring.  We have one precious life.  Make it count.

In part of her talk I listened to today, she shows a picture of her during training.  She's smiling in the picture.  She says that she doesn't recall this moment during her training -  she doesn't recall ever smiling during her training.  It's not fun.  It's hard.  It's excruciating.  It's grueling work.  But she has one life to live and one wild goal.  Now that, I can relate to.  When I'm training really hard, I'm not smiling.  I don't even want to smile when it's done.  Sometimes I want to cry, or at least whimper.  It's hard.  It's not fun some days.  A lot of days it's not fun.  But I try.  I set a goal in this life I have to live and I'm going after it.

Diana didn't make the swim.  She didn't reach her goal.  Three times she attempted it.  But you know what?  She had the courage.  She is courageous enough to live the life she's got.  Courageous enough to set an outrageous goal and go after it.  Even at the age of 60.  She's an incredible inspiration.  Live life.  It won't always be fun, but it's always worth living.  We get one shot.

Here's the link to her Ted talk:  http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/diana_nyad_extreme_swimming_with_the_world_s_most_dangerous_jellyfish.html