- photo by Susan PageI was intrigued by the movie, The Marilyn Bell Story, based on the story of her young life and her historic swim across Lake Ontario.
As a young girl, Marilyn struggled to find her place. To gain acceptance, she eventually chose the challenging sport of marathon swimming. With little encouragement from her family or friends, Marilyn began her training. With determination and a firm dedication to her sport rarely seen in one so young, Marilyn rose to the task even when challenged by her extremely demanding coach.
On September 8, 1954, Bell started her swim across Lake Ontario from Youngstown, New York to Toronto at the same time as world-famous U.S. long-distance swimmer, Florence Chadwick. The Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto had offered Chadwick $10,000 to swim the lake as a publicity effort. Bell, who felt the offer snubbed Canadian swimmers, took on the challenge.
After several hours, Chadwick was forced to give up, while 16-year-old Bell completed the swim. She was the first person ever to swim the 52 km distance.
Bell swam for 20 hours and 59 minutes under grueling conditions. The planned route across the lake was 51.5 km, but she had to swim much further because of strong winds and the lack of navigational equipment. Waves that day were almost 5 meters high, the water temperature was 21 °C and lamprey eels were attacking her legs and arms. Bell kept up her strength by consuming Pablum, corn syrup, and lemon juice with water. She was able to maintain her spirit because of the encouragement that came from her boat crew and coach.
What intrigued me about this story?
It was a great example of youthful determination. It showed how one can dig deep even when one's resources are depleted. It made clear that relentless training and setting goals can help one finish the race against all odds.
It’s also a great example that emphasizes the importance of a support network. We all get by with a little help from our friends.
Scripture has several references for encouraging and building up one another in the faith journey. First and foremost, our strength comes from the Lord, but we also need each other especially when we feel like we are drowning. There’s nothing like knowing someone is in the boat, ready to pull us in when we are sinking. With the Lord as our coach and navigator and the right choice of friends, we can make it, against all odds.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1)
Susan Page
Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.