by Sunil Bali, 08-09-13

With one last effort, Diana Nyad staggered from the sea onto the beach.

She had been in the water for nearly 53 hours, and last Monday became the first person to swim the 103 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.

The "experts" said she would never be able to do it. Notwithstanding the venomous jellyfish and sharks along the way, she was simply too old they said.

Nyad had tried and failed several times before.

In fact, she had been planning and trying for the last 38 years.

Finally, at the age of 64, she achieved her dream.

After her epic swim, Nyad spoke from the heart.

"I have three messages:

  1. Don’t give up on your dream. Keep trying and a way will appear.
  2. The experience that comes from age is invaluable. You’re never too old.
  3. Surround yourself with great people who will elevate you to a higher level."

With fierce dedication, total belief and a large dose of persistence, it would appear that even extreme dreams come true.

Humour

Some razor sharp one liners from writer and comedian Gary Delaney:

  1. I went to the doctor because I wanted to lose weight. He said don’t eat anything fatty. I said, "What like pies, chips and sausages?" He said, "No. Just don’t eat anything…… Fatty."
  2. Grandad asked me how to print on his new computer. I said, “Just Control-P” He said, “I haven’t been able to do that for years."
  3. I certainly broke a few hearts when I was a young man (I had a kebab van).
  4. I’ve just seen the grave of the woman from My Fair Lady, it says "Here lies a Doolittle."
  5. Upon hearing that he had been awarded an OBE by the Queen, the Chairman of the Dyslexic Society said, "What’s the use? I can’t play the bloody thing."
  6. The closest the UK gets to Martin Luther King Day is an actress called Honor Blackman.

 

Sunil

www.sunilbali.com