Goal # 39: Do Something that Truly Tests My Limits

I'm not sure if it's a guy thing or if everyone gets this feeling, but I have always wanted to see what the limit of my endurance is. I'm not sure I'm willing to go out and see how close I can come to death just to see what I can endure, but I have always wanted to see if I can do the really hard stuff.



Some of the things I've done that were hard, at least for me, were: 

• In 1971 and again in 1972 I ran a 50 mile marathon at Laguna Beach, California. In the first marathon I took 14th place and ran it in 12 hours and 46 minutes. The second year I took 5th place with a finish time of 8 hours and 23 minutes. 
• I spent 2 years serving as a missionary in a country that I was totally unaccustomed to and that was ruled by a dictator who declared Marshall Law which lasted the entire 2 years I lived there. 
• Raise 4 children
• Be a scout master
• Extended fasting
• Watch a little child die
• See someone starve to death
• Allow myself to be stung by several bees at once to build up immunity to the swelling that comes from bee stings

I think the lesson I learned from each of the experiences mentioned above is that we can survive, and in fact, thrive, doing things that we never thought we could do. That's a lesson that changes you. I have learned that I really can do things I never thought I could. It's not easy and in some cases, it's not fun. But in the end, you come out of it a changed person and it's worth it.