20 Comments
User's avatar
Deb's avatar

I don’t remember who said this / told me but… it keeps me going. “The only way out is through” along with keep going, take the steps as they appear. It’s certainly not physical survival orientation like the running water but…. it IS good for fortitude.

Thank you, Jack! Have a great, restful weekend!

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Deb..."The only way out is through" is EXACTLY the same instruction... just stripped of the jungle.

And "take the steps as they appear" might be even closer to it; she couldn't see the river either. She only ever had the next BEND.

You've got YOUR downstream. Sounds like you've had it a while!

Rest up this weekend, Deb. You've earned it.

-Jack

PJ Adk's avatar

Thanks, Jack! What a strong, memorable lesson you’ve taught for us to hold onto till November

Jack Hopkins's avatar

PJ...you're welcome. Stories like this one...that we store away in our mind...become valuable resources to draw upon...both consciously...and unconsciously...when the going gets tough. And...it will.

-Jack

Kristine Antonivich's avatar

That was an amazing story! Strength and holding fast to the one true piece of information, a good lesson to hold on to!

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Kristine...thank you; that's exactly the piece I hoped would stick.

Not the fall. The one TRUE thing...held onto on the days it felt like NOTHING.

We've all got one. The trick...is WALKING IT!

-Jack

Karin Loess's avatar

Two faces of gravity..

First it almost ended her; then it saved her.

Now there’s a late night thought to ponder, about managing adversity.

Cool take, Jack .. thanks

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Karin Loess...now that's a hell of a catch. I didn't see it until YOU wrote it.

Same force. Threw her out of the sky...then pulled the water downhill to the river...and pulled her along with it.

The difference wasn't the gravity. It was whether she was FIGHTING it...or...going WITH it.

That's YOUR late-night thought right there.

Thanks for handing me a better one than I started with, Karin.

-Jack

Rebecca Merin's avatar

Amazing how her father’s chat with her about to survive, if the worst thing happens and it did happen and she survived and thrive in her life

How she honored her parents and the gifts they gave her

Thank you 🫶🏽

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Rebecca...that's the whole heart of it...and you found it faster than I did.

He wasn't preparing her for anything. He was just talking to his kid. And...it turned out to be the MOST important thing he ever gave her.

Then...she went back. Ran the station they built. Spent her life doing the work they loved. That's not just surviving...that's carrying something FORWARD.

We're all handing somebody something...right NOW... without knowing it.

Thanks for reading so closely, Rebecca Merin!

-Jack

Concerned Citizen's avatar

Thanks for this! I’m going to count down the days until the midterm election as my river.

#HOLDFAST #OUTLAST #STANDFAST

Jack Hopkins's avatar

CC...you're welcome. OUTSTANDING!!

#HOLDFAST #OUTLAST #STANDFAST

-Jack

Linda Baldassare's avatar

Thank you for this amazing story of survival !! It filled me with hope !!!

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Linda Baldassre...I'm SO glad it landed for...and WITH you!

-Jack

Karen Scofield's avatar

TGIF to you and your readers this evening ✨ Thank you for this great inspirational story and will reStack ASAP 💯👍

Jack Hopkins's avatar

And to YOU, Karen. You're welcome...and..Thank You for the reStack!

-Jack

Sky Blue's avatar

WOW..just...WOW!

What a strong story about Survival!

Thank You!

Jack Hopkins's avatar

Sky Blue...you're most welcome.

-Jack

Scott Whitmire's avatar

I used to teach my Boy Scouts this very same advice. Find running water and follow it down stream. Where we live, you’re never more than two days’ walk from help. Got a lot of flak for that from the old gird, until they thought about it. That advice distills years of survival training into one sentence.

Sue P's avatar

All I thought of was that I was thankful you didn't use Uruguayan AF Flight 571. I remember both, not quite a year apart. I marveled at her amazing courage, but didn't know "The rest of the story." Thanks.