I have mostly been terrified of listening to scary stories around a campfire. We camp a lot as a family and at night my dad would try and tell us scary stories. This made eating s'mores difficult. The story would start with something like... 'and the old man who lived in these woods...' I would then run back into the camper terrified.

From about eight years old I was always making things on the sewing machine. Friends would see me making dresses and costumes and I'd use difficult fabrics such as Lycra and elastic. But you know my dad was creative and my brother is inventive too.

Obviously losing a parent is very difficult. I miss my dad every day but I know he would be proud to see me continuing to swim and going for another shot at the Olympics.

My dad? He died when I was 19 which is a bad time for your dad to die because there's an awful lot of things you have to resolve with your parents past your teens if you've been a difficult teenager.

I stayed in Baghdad every summer until I was 14. My dad's sister is still there but many of my relatives have managed to get out. People forget that there are still people there who are not radicalized in any particular direction trying to live normal lives in a very difficult situation.

Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargain for.

I think the moments that are difficult for anybody are when you see what your life could be if only you had the courage to take the steps needed.

Presumption should never make us neglect that which appears easy to us nor despair make us lose courage at the sight of difficulties.

Love is the most difficult and dangerous form of courage. Courage is the most desperate admirable and noble kind of love.

Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we will just have the courage to admit what it is. And the faith to trust our own admission. The admitting is often very difficult.