A Good Day

Tomorrow I will work half a day, have lunch with Big Cat and Big Easy and head out to one of our favorite golf courses. We have a tee time after they get off of work so what better way to spend my time than hitting golf balls, working on the short game and generally enjoy being at the golf course? I will have about about 3 hours of time to relax and yield to this sanctuary. I believe every golf course that I have been to or played is in fact a sanctuary of sorts. Please note there is one exception located in No Where, Kansas and that goat ranch came complete with goat head sticker plants in the fairway...

One definition of sanctuary is a shelter away from danger or hardship. I think we as humanoids still very much need sanctuaries. It's quite true we are standard deviations safer than just 4 generations previous. Automobiles, roads, buildings, work, as they evolve they've all become safer. Yet we as a society have created a culture that in its current state thrives on of all things, STRESS. We have voluntarily picked our own poison and it's stress.

Stress is a very big deal because it kills every bit as efficiently as a virus or plaque, it just takes longer. When I think of sanctuary, it always creates a sense of calm and freedom. In these times of stress an ever louder question begs to be heard, "Where are our sanctuaries?"

It's a Tuesday at 4:30 in the afternoon and Jimmy is just leaving a 2 hour meeting originally scheduled for 30 minutes. Its the same old result complete with posturing/annoying people who achieve nothing. There are two hot emails that require his attention. His boss's boss left him a voice mail requiring another look at the numbers prior to meeting with the clients. Jimmy's son has a baseball game at 6:00 pm and it looks like he will miss Sean's game again. Frustration, anger, stress... call it what you will but my guess is you can identify in some small way if not completely.

Jimmy also has a tee time this weekend at the local muni and its Sean's 4th full 18 hole round. During their last outing, Sean hit a few strong drives and made a couple of snakes, all of which had him badgering Jimmy to set up a tee time. Instead of getting directly to those "hot" emails, Jimmy jumps on the net to check this weekend's weather forecast. He quickly copy and paste's the forecast into an email to Sean and his wife with the good news. 70's and little wind make for a perfect round of golf.

I think one of golf's simple pleasures is going to the driving ranch and hitting a bucket of balls. Every person out on the range has a single purpose in mind and that is to improve their game by working on their swing. The same single minded purpose of all individuals in one setting is in my view a very rare event. While on the range I often step back, take a sip of beer and watch the other golfers in their pursuit of excellence. I receive an especially nice vibe each and every time and I like it more and more.

I find I hit the ball better after taking that break. I am learning that taking a moment, enjoying the scenery and a deep breath frees me up in some way. I can only base this on my empirical evidence of experience but I believe strongly that once one becomes comfortable out on the golf range, they become more authenticically themselves. There is true effort and a communal goal subtlety driving a very positive and honest unseen order of things. How could one not come to love this...?

Jimmy does indeed miss Sean's ball game that evening. Instead of rushing to get everything done and still be late, he purposely takes his time. He responds to the emails, sets up the new analysis and sends it. He actually gets a few things done that were on the schedule for tomorrow without interruption or distraction.

At 8:30 pm Jimmy finally pulls into the driveway. After eating his reheated dinner and cracking a cold beer, he goes to Sean's room to say good night. After a bit of small talk about Sean's game and the Red Sox, Jimmy tells Sean to be ready to go to the range tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Jimmy knows what I know. There is not a better sanctuary than the golf course. Tomorrow is going to be a good day.