The Narrow Gate or Little Black Hole
I recently found myself in different moments of lull, waiting for one child or another to come home from a night out with friends, waiting for the clock to strike a certain hour so we could call it a night, or maybe I just could not convince myself that it was OK to go to bed before the sunset. Whatever the reason, I often take the time to exercise my remote thumb muscle. It is mindless exercise that does not require a great deal of energy.
It was during one of these moments of mindless thumb clicking that I came across a late night recap of the days golfing highlights. I took the moment to pause and reflect upon a motivational speech I had attended during the week.
Golf is an interesting game. I find it most enjoyable when playing in good company. I don't believe however that I could dedicate as much time and effort to the sport as those I found myself watching. It is a game that requires a great deal of individual discipline. As a sport of casual please, one finds himself trying to hit a little round ball into 9 to 18 little black holes. In the course of a game, one may swing a long metal club some 45 to 90 times. When I play, is seems that I am swinging more like 450 to 900. The fairways are long, wide, and filled with obstacles of varying sizes. The path that leads to that little black hole, though approached from many different angles, is quite narrow in and of itself. For some, that is what makes the game so interesting.
It is of this game that an analogy was recently made. When standing in the tee box, looking far into the distance at a small colored flag, the task in and of itself may seem overwhelming at first. The goal is so far away, appearing to some to be unattainable. The varied obstacles looming is size and quantity is daunting. The thought of having to choose club after club becomes tiresome. And in the end, the path to that little black hole is elusive. Then, when you obtain the first, you move to the next tee box and start the process over again.
For many, the questions that come to mind is WHY? They give up before even trying. When compared to life, I think that there are many when faced with the challenges of mortality find themselves in this boat. The walk away from the fairway before even choosing a club. Others may attempt a swing or two, move down the fairway for the joy of riding in the cart and then turn coat and return to the comforts of the clubhouse. There are some who get lost in the hazards, too proud to admit defeat and take an extra stroke. Then there are those who will endure a full round and vow to never return to the greens again.
Then there are those who accept the challenge and ask the question of HOW? Regardless of the obstacles presented, the hazards endured, or the wayward wanderings in scrub, they continue moving forward to find that narrow and elusive path. With each stroke, the learn what they can, hoping to make the next one better. Along the way, they come to realize that with this game, they may not be perfect and that there are days it is OK to ask for a mulligan. But in the end, the sense of accomplishment, finding the hole, following the path, and moving on to the next challenge is enough to keep them coming back for more.
Where do you find yourself? Are you asking WHY or HOW?
I find myself pondering the HOW.
It was during one of these moments of mindless thumb clicking that I came across a late night recap of the days golfing highlights. I took the moment to pause and reflect upon a motivational speech I had attended during the week.
Golf is an interesting game. I find it most enjoyable when playing in good company. I don't believe however that I could dedicate as much time and effort to the sport as those I found myself watching. It is a game that requires a great deal of individual discipline. As a sport of casual please, one finds himself trying to hit a little round ball into 9 to 18 little black holes. In the course of a game, one may swing a long metal club some 45 to 90 times. When I play, is seems that I am swinging more like 450 to 900. The fairways are long, wide, and filled with obstacles of varying sizes. The path that leads to that little black hole, though approached from many different angles, is quite narrow in and of itself. For some, that is what makes the game so interesting.
It is of this game that an analogy was recently made. When standing in the tee box, looking far into the distance at a small colored flag, the task in and of itself may seem overwhelming at first. The goal is so far away, appearing to some to be unattainable. The varied obstacles looming is size and quantity is daunting. The thought of having to choose club after club becomes tiresome. And in the end, the path to that little black hole is elusive. Then, when you obtain the first, you move to the next tee box and start the process over again.
For many, the questions that come to mind is WHY? They give up before even trying. When compared to life, I think that there are many when faced with the challenges of mortality find themselves in this boat. The walk away from the fairway before even choosing a club. Others may attempt a swing or two, move down the fairway for the joy of riding in the cart and then turn coat and return to the comforts of the clubhouse. There are some who get lost in the hazards, too proud to admit defeat and take an extra stroke. Then there are those who will endure a full round and vow to never return to the greens again.
Then there are those who accept the challenge and ask the question of HOW? Regardless of the obstacles presented, the hazards endured, or the wayward wanderings in scrub, they continue moving forward to find that narrow and elusive path. With each stroke, the learn what they can, hoping to make the next one better. Along the way, they come to realize that with this game, they may not be perfect and that there are days it is OK to ask for a mulligan. But in the end, the sense of accomplishment, finding the hole, following the path, and moving on to the next challenge is enough to keep them coming back for more.
Where do you find yourself? Are you asking WHY or HOW?
I find myself pondering the HOW.
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