Impossible Odds, #e\\ no!!

I just finished reading Impossible Odds about the kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and her rescue by Seal Team 6. In 2011 this woman, a humanitarian aid worker, was captured by Somali bandits and held for 3 months before a dramatic rescue took place to bring her home. She's honored in the Freedom Series category of the IC blog for two primary reasons:

• She and the man captured with her had made a vow to each other--to not fall into despair. They both held to this throughout their ordeal and it became the mindset that saved them.
• Jessica and her family continually focused on the love they had for each other and used their memories to generate love and gratitude even in the midst of torturous separation.

Throughout her telling, Jessica continually concentrated her mind toward what she had: a husband and family who loved her, her life in that moment, hope in starting a family, a country that was negotiating for her release, her home and work...the list went on. If you have ever doubted the power of emotions to either make or break us, you should read the book. Two of my favorite quotes were the following:

The torment inside a person's mind can be much worse than anything the physical world can throw at you.

By now my (Jessica's) waking hours were mostly spent firmly in the zone of an inner world. The ace up my sleeve was its invisibility, or they would have surely taken that away from me as well. 

Inner Constellation, baby! We are awesome, powerful generators. Jessica set her sights firmly on the life waiting for her, the love of her family which she knew to be true, in spite of the incredible horrendous outer circumstances. I believe love was her North Star--the love she had for the African people, ie her humanitarian aid work and love for her family. She held it in her sights until it became a reality. If you wish to hear Jessica speak about her dramatic ordeal, check out this interview. She is an amazing angel with an inspiring story of recovery.