Thought 12MAY2008

WE PLAY 'EM ALL
It was a typically pleasant early spring South Carolina day as our regular group of twelve prepared on the first tee for the normal Tuesday morning match. As usual, Henry's risqué jokes created enough confusion to raise Bob's dander a little as he pulled the balls from the hat to line up the foursomes to compete for the much sought-after two-dollar Nassau... Nassau? Perhaps! Bragging rights? Absolutely! As our last group teed off, the gentle breeze at our backs helped our drives travel a little further than usual down the first fairway. It was the beginning of a good game for all of us, with Dick's short game working very well, Rich knocking the cover off the ball, Henry playing his wide slice to perfection and my putter performing well enough to allow me to do better than my 24 handicap.

After about four holes we noticed a twosome creeping up close behind us. Before we could motion them through, they fell back again, only to close the gap again on holes 8 and 9. We thought that perhaps they would go through as we stopped for a snack at the turn, but they did not, only to get close again on No. 12. Being a true advocate of golf-course courtesy, I took advantage of Henry's slice into the woods to go back and invite them to play through. "Sorry to hold you up... would you like to play through?" "Thank you for asking but we're doing just fine. We don't get in a hurry anymore. Just being out here and enjoying our friendship, this wonderful game and God's glorious universe is quite enough for both of us... You see, Joel here is ninety-one and I'm eighty-nine years old, and we have enough aches and pains that we only play the downhill holes!"
By William M. Bowen - from Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul, Copyright 1999 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours - Chief Tecumseh (Native American)