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I was told a story, last weekend, about a man who nearly drowned when the tide pulled him out to sea.
He was swimming in the ocean, when the tide went out. He watched the shore get farther and farther away. His brother had once told him what to do if that ever happened - stay calm and keep swimming. That is what he did. In order to do so, he had to keep telling himself, "stay calm, keep swimming," over and over again. He later determined that he did this for seven hours.
When he made it to land, he crawled onto the beach and passed out. His friends found him two hours later, unconscious, dehydrated and hypothermic.
The man no longer goes into the ocean. Not even to get his toes wet when the sand burns his feet. The one who told me the story (who heard it from the source), said he found the story utterly terrifying - and he is a skydiver.
Can you imagine the sheer terror this man might have felt, knowing he could die at any minute? Any of several factors could cause him to lose hope - fatigue, thirst, hunger, fear of getting eaten. But if he had thought about it, if he had allowed himself to feel that terror, he most certainly would have lost hope and died. All that kept him going were those four words - stay calm, keep swimming.
Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff"? That's the kind of experience that causes you to really understand what that means. Dont let things get to you. Don't stress out over everyday events. As long as nobody's life is on the line, it can't be a big deal. Keep doing what you have to do, and don't let worry keep you from it. But what happens when somebody's life is on the line, and it is a big deal? Same advice: keep doing what you have to do, and don't let worry keep you from it.
Stay calm. Keep swimming.
He was swimming in the ocean, when the tide went out. He watched the shore get farther and farther away. His brother had once told him what to do if that ever happened - stay calm and keep swimming. That is what he did. In order to do so, he had to keep telling himself, "stay calm, keep swimming," over and over again. He later determined that he did this for seven hours.
When he made it to land, he crawled onto the beach and passed out. His friends found him two hours later, unconscious, dehydrated and hypothermic.
The man no longer goes into the ocean. Not even to get his toes wet when the sand burns his feet. The one who told me the story (who heard it from the source), said he found the story utterly terrifying - and he is a skydiver.
Can you imagine the sheer terror this man might have felt, knowing he could die at any minute? Any of several factors could cause him to lose hope - fatigue, thirst, hunger, fear of getting eaten. But if he had thought about it, if he had allowed himself to feel that terror, he most certainly would have lost hope and died. All that kept him going were those four words - stay calm, keep swimming.
Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming. Stay calm, keep swimming.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff"? That's the kind of experience that causes you to really understand what that means. Dont let things get to you. Don't stress out over everyday events. As long as nobody's life is on the line, it can't be a big deal. Keep doing what you have to do, and don't let worry keep you from it. But what happens when somebody's life is on the line, and it is a big deal? Same advice: keep doing what you have to do, and don't let worry keep you from it.
Stay calm. Keep swimming.
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no subject
Date: 2001-06-13 08:12 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2001-06-13 09:11 am (UTC)From:No, I don't do drugs...
Date: 2001-06-13 11:55 am (UTC)From:Re: No, I don't do drugs...
Date: 2001-06-13 02:38 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2001-06-17 10:57 pm (UTC)From:puzzled by the man's reaction afterwards; that
he no longer goes in the ocean, not even to wade.
I had the opposite feeling about it; the ocean is
now a symbol to me of the strength I found to persevere, to find I had power over weakness and
fears that have crippled me before and since, but
at this very moment, at the one time in my life
when everything was on the line, I kept them at
bay. I got myself into the situation to help some
one, but it turned into one in which I, too,
was now in danger. The whole time I was struggling
out there, I knew those awful feelings of terror
and panic were present, but some how I instinctively reacted to the situation by acknowledging their existance, but not actually
feeling them, if that makes sense. I was amazingly
calm, practical, and as you put it "doing what I
had to do". It was not a matter of conscious and
reasoned thought. It was kind of like an auto-pilot switched on in my head. I think I should
remember this story and tell it to myself more often.....
Freekee, you rock! I have found so many interesting and uplifting things here tonight.
Thank you for the much needed boost.
G