True Grit

when death seems almost certain, one of the most human reactions is a refusal to lie down and let it win.

Luck was with the Kon-Tiki expedition – the kind of luck that has a habit of accompanying real backbone.

His unconventional method of exploring was to travel light and fast.

They become tough by displaying spirit and determination against overwhelming odds.

Because that’s what it was: a war of attrition between him, the vast ocean and the brutal forces of nature. A war he was determined to win, even though the odds were vastly stacked against him.

And a little dose of eccentricity so often goes hand in hand with such endeavours.

She needed a clear head and a calm mind. She needed to be alert, and to consider her every move carefully. If she allowed herself to freak out, she’d probably never make it through a day.

Like with a grape, you don’t really know what it is made of until it is squeezed. One thing all these stories have in common is that, in each case, every one of these individuals was squeezed to within an inch of their life, and they all had to plumb untold reservoirs of courage, tenacity and fortitude.

He said that to go to sea was a way of reminding himself how insignificant all humans are in the face of the natural world. That it is a way of glimpsing the face of God.