I corresponded via email this morning with one of my readers. I will call her “A”.  Like us, she and her husband have  a blended family of five kids. She very sweetly told me that my blog offers her ”blended mommy fresh air.” We also exchanged our thoughts  about the general challenges and obstacles facing second marriages with kids and the strong commitment it takes to make it work.

What I didn’t write at the time because it is the BIG FAT WHITE ELEPHANT in the room and we all know it, is that second marriages have a much higher divorce rate than first marriages. The odds are stacked against us so why say it? I never talk about this dirty secret because I don’t want to give it power, but I do think about it.

Afterward, I sat down to drink my tea and read the paper and opened it  to an article I was following about a local citizen, our county supervisor Mark Stone, who succeeded in fulfilling his dream of  SWIMMING ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL! He did it in 13 hours. The success rate of navigating across the channel’s jelly fish invested, cold, murky, dark, stormy waters is a measly 10 percent. What timing. Talk about an inspiring, “feel good” story. What does he win? He gets to write his name on a wall in a pub next to all the others who have crossed the channel before him. And of course– bragging rights forever.

Mark Stone’s story is a testament to overcoming adversity, setting a goal and sticking to it, facing up to a challenge, following a dream and NEVER GIVING UP.  There’s hope and inspiration for all of us.