Forgive me for my very long absence.  I was on vacation for a week, came home for a few days, then went away again for a long weekend to Vermont for a wedding.  I have been catching up on life and getting back to “reality” all week.  Part of that reality is getting back to my blog. 

For today I have a quick update on Diana Nyad’s attempt to swim from Cuba to Key West at the age of 61.  I previously talked about her quest in my blog post “Going for Greatness at Any Age.”  Diana, unfortunately, was not able to complete the swim.  She swam for 30 continuous hours, and in the end had to abandon her attempt due to a shoulder problem, an asthma attack and vomiting.  You can read about all of the details here: Cuba-to-Florida Quest Defeats Swimmer at 61.  While it is unfortunate that she didn’t finish, I think it is amazing that she even tried.  She was attempting to swim 103 miles in 60 hours without leaving the water.  At the age of 61.  Without a shark cage.  How many of us would even think of attempting to do something like that?  And while Diana expressed disappointment about her failed swim, she had some very upbeat, positive words of wisdom which I would like to share (especially seeing as how I turned 50 a few weeks ago and the AARP keeps sending me membership cards in the mail).

Before starting her swim, Diana said:

“I’m almost 62 years old,” she declared. “I’m standing here at the prime of my life; I think this is the prime, when one reaches this age. You still have a body that’s strong, but now you have a better mind.”

After Diana left the water, she had this to say:

“Life goes by so quickly and, at my age, you really feel the passage of time,” she said. “People my age must try to live vital, energetic lives. We’re still young. We’re not our mothers’ generation at 60.”  

For people over 60, she said, the goal should be “to live a life with no regrets and no worries about what you are going to do with your time. Fill it with passion. Be your best self.”

Diana has said this is her last attempt to complete this swim.  Congrats to her for having the perseverance and the guts to train and attempt such a feat.