Hoorah for Diana Nyad!

Little known fact:  Diana Nyad went to my high school.  Sure, she graduated when I was but a wee tyke (stop laughing), but we do share an alma mater.  One hopes that a little piece of her rubbed off on me just by walking the same halls.  Truly, she is incredible, and a role model for so many in the Trenches.  For those of you who have been away from the media, or who have somehow managed to miss the news this week, Ms. Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to the United States without a shark cage.  If that isn't incredible enough, she swam 110 miles without leaving the water.  The swim took 53 hours, that's right, 53 hours.  I'm already in awe at this point, but we haven't gotten to the most amazing part of her swim.  It was her fifth attempt since 1978, she took 30 years off in the middle, and she is 64 years old.  Yes, I said 64.  Think about it.  Not only is she at an age where most people think she should be slowing down, but she also managed to convince 30 people to be part of her team for the swim, and convince sponsors to put up their cold hard cash so she could afford the training, the crew and the equipment necessary for such a feat.  That cannot have been easy for a 64 year old woman to do.  Yet she did it.
Sorry to tell all of you in the Trenches, but Ms. Nyad has really hurt many of you in the Trenches.  We ask our clients constantly what they want to do in the next chapter of their lives (post divorce).  Many have a plan.  So many do not, and they tell us how they can't imagine going back into the work force after so long in the home.  They tell me they are too old to learn anything new.  I get it.  These people never expected to divorce and never expected their lives to change.  That it has is difficult to wrap their minds around.  But folks, if Diana Nyad can take 30 years "off" of swimming and still come back at age 64 to swim from Cuba, if she can place mind over matter and power through what sounds like a miserable swim, then you can remake your life as well.  Sure, it takes more than mind over matter; it takes hard work.  And, they do say that living well is the best revenge.....here in the Trenches.