No matter what Swim to Your Shore

[Stargazer]

Really early this morning I watched I guess a documentary....On Diana Nyad , She is an American record-setting long distance swimmer.

At 61, she tried to swim from Cuba to Florida---103miles. Now, it took her 4 times to get there. All kinds of obstacles continued to come up...big ones. She went through all kinds of things the kept stopping her. Including getting stung by deadly Portugese jelly fish.....

Each time, that she didn't make it, she was really disappointed and couldn't let it go, or get it out of her mind. She KNEW she could do it and that's what was bothering her. Everyone around her, her longtime partner included, was telling her enough is enough already...you did amazing things. Be proud of yourself...I was even thinking "Come on already with this"...She DID accomplish record-setting swims against all odds. She did not have to prove herself...

But, in her heart, she did. So after three failed attempts, she said "I can and will swim to Florida" . And indeed did. At 64yrs old.

She said some really inspiring things, that I could relate to recovery. Such as, there are a lot of stresses, money, training, etc. Now this is a very very involved thing. She doesn't just get in the water alone and starts swimming. It requires a small army...a navigator, a doctor, divers and more. And for those people, there is a staff of about 20 people just to HELP them HELP her...But she said, you have to remember what your heart is saying while your're trying to overcome those obstacles.

I related her failed attempts to recovery. I am not perfect, and it is, for me a long, difficult walk. Maybe it may take a few times to get to the shore. But that doesn't mean that you won't. In order for me to get to the shore, after relasping, and not using for years before relasping, heroin had to go.....first and foremost that had to be done, for me to accomplish everything I need to. That in itself causes goals and difficult things....detoxing, how shitty you feel after that, taking responsibility for all the crap you caused...and finally moving forward.

When recovering, it may be difficult to remember what's in your heart. I think it is some days. On my not so good days, I feel smothered by guilt, disappointment and even hopelessless. The mess I created is overwhelming to me. But I believe, just living....taking it all a little at a time, somehow I'll swim to my shore.

She was really inspirational. She is a motivational speaker....worth googling and watching. Just putting that out there for the recorvery community.

 

[herbavore]

I've also heard her speak about her swims and she is amazing! You are very right that the whole process is metaphorical to any endeavor that requires persistence, faith,stamina, grit and the understanding that failures are not the end unless you decide to stop there. I think relating recovery to all other hard changes or difficult goals we make is very useful. Addiction and recovery are so unfairly stigmatized. What about trying to contain materialism or trying to stop being a judgmental person or trying to stop over-eating? Taking the shame out of addiction would go such a long, long way for society (not to mention individuals and families).

 

[Stargazer]

Yes ....take the shame out of all of it. We are all wounded and doing the best we can. Shining a spotlight on anyone, is first of all, wrong...and I can guarantee 99% when it's done mistakes will be revealed. It's part of being human period. It's terrible to be publicly outed...I had it done to me more than once.

I messed up and it was bad enough, without my entire family knowing about my relapse. When my house burned down, everything was on the news and in the paper. Yeah...that was great. So flawed human beings judged me instead of showing compassion. I believe in positive re-inforcement. I feel that's most conducive to healing.

Watching Diana today was very inspiring. I'm glad that it came on