Trapped in a Canyon

"It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt

There is a survivor show on the Discovery Channel called, "I Shouldn't Be Alive". A recent episode featured an athlete who fell 60 feet while on a training run with her dog in Moab, Utah. She broke her pelvis and could only crawl, one inch at a time. Her injuries were severe and she lost three pints of blood while fighting to stay alive.

This athlete knew that if she fell asleep in the freezing temperatures, she would never wake up. She started doing stomach crunches at a pace that would keep her awake through the night. She also had to be careful not to urinate since this would surely lead to hypothermia.

On the third day, evening was fast approaching and her body was on the edge of death. She had sent her dog away to get help and was all alone. She was discovered just in time. Even though the doctors thought she would never walk again, she made a full recovery and now runs at full speed.

As I watched this show with my family, I thought about all the times I have been on the edge of the cliff. Sometimes, when you take risks, you fall. I don't know what it feels like to plunge 60 feet and break bones, but I bet it is like starting a business in a bad economy. In order to survive, you must have a very strong will to fight every day. You must fix your eyes on your vision and hold on to the dream even when everyone else thinks you are going to die.

Live your life with passion and don't be afraid if you find yourself on the edge of the cliff. You may fall and you may even break a few bones; broken bones heal and success awaits those who dare to dream big dreams...