Fortitude at Task...

[Guest guest]

In 1982 Callahan was crossing the Atlantic alone in his sailboat when it suddenly struck something and sank. Callahan was out of the shipping lanes, floating alone in his life raft and in some very serious hot water. He had little supplies and his chances of survival were almost nil. However, when three fishermen found him 76 days later, which is the longest that anyone has survived a ship-wreck on a life raft alone, he was alive! A whole lot thinner, but alive nevertheless.

Callahan's account of how he survived is quite fascinating. His ingenuity, how he managed to catch fish, how he fixed a solar still to evaporate sea water to make fresh water, is absolutely awe inspiring.

However, what is far more interesting and powerful is how Callahan managed to keep himself going when all hope seemed lost, when there seemed to be no sane reason for anyone to keep struggling under those conditions. Callahan kept repeating to himself with all the adversity that he had to face, You can handle it! You can handle it. When he was suffering physically and in great pain, he'd repeat to himself, you can survive this, you can handle it! When he was near to delirious with heat stroke and unable to cool down he'd remind himself, you'll be fine, you can handle it!