Not long ago I was reminded about the story of Florence Chadwick. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel. She then decided to swim from southern Californiato Catalina Island, a distance of 26 miles. As she was swimming a heavy fog set in and she could not see anything. Her mother was in a boat nearby encouraging her to keep swimming. There were other boats around her and she could hear shots ring out from the marksmen if sharks approached too close. Finally, cold and discouraged, she got into the boat just one mile from the shore. When interviewed later, she stated that it was not the cold or sharks that made her stop; it was the fog. She could not see her goal! She attempted the swim a second time and did it despite fog. How many of us get lost in the fog and lose sight of our goals or dreams? Do we stop just short of the goal? This has been true for me at different times in my life. Some of my substance abuse clients at the conclusion of treatment admit they lost sight of their goals and their ability to reach them. Completion of treatment is sometimes the first accomplishment for them since….
Sue Judd, M.S.S., L.S.A.C.
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