Surviving Well

Survival - that is the word in my head lately. I wonder why? No actually, WE are surviving quite well. You can't believe how well Kenyon is getting around. Still slow and deliberate but hundreds times better than before surgery. I hope to post evidence soon. :)


But I have been listening and reading stories that seem to keep pointing me towards this survival topic.


Like the fireside I attended on Wednesday with the Jacksons, there are endless stories of other people who face unbelievable trials, sadness, pain, obstacles, you name it. Some how they make it.


Molly Jackson suggested in her talk that we read The Survivor's Club by Ben Sherwood. He shares stories from around the world about surviving impossible odds and asking the questions - what does it take to surive and what kind of survivor are you? I am looking forward to reading it.

Usually I don'g blog too much about the books I read because I do that more on Goodreads. But I can't resist today. The book I am listening to is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand Oh my word. Get this book today. This true survival story is incredible.

And what about this story? Between A Rock And A Hard Place. You know the story - this guy gets his arm stuck under a massive boulder for 5 days and finally cuts it off and hikes out to a rescue team. But read it and you will be amazed at what it takes to survive. I don't know if I have it. But what I was reminded of from Molly Jackson is that you don't know how strong you are until you are faced with the situation.


One of my favorite books about survival is Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl, a surivor of the Nazi concentration camps. One line has always stuck with me "...everything can be taken from a man but one thing:  the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." And this one from Frankl - “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to control how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can control what you will feel and do in response to what happens to you.” 


Lots to think about. And of course I was reminded of it again in this General Conference talk by Elder Oaks. It is about desire - but that is ultimately what made all these individuals survive - their desire. He said, "Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life."