I hate GOLF!

Ok, so most everyone that knows me, knows that I think that golf is next to football and basketball when it comes to being boring and uninteresting. I'm a fan of none of the above sports....(sorry Aunt Linda). Maybe that's because I'm a girl and I don't understand any of the listed sports very well. The only one that I find remotely interesting is baseball, but I could definitely live without it. I have to admit though, I do enjoy an occasional game of putt-putt, but that's about as far as my passion goes where golf is concerned.

Saying that, I happen to find this letter and this clip very interesting. Maybe it's because I read the letter before I found the clip. I found them both to be uplifting and inspiring. Not spiritually inspiring, but just generalized inspiration for the quality of life.

Maybe you can find some inspiration in it, too. If nothing else, maybe a few guys will at least enjoy the few swings of golf they can observe.

So, here's the letter from a man who recently attended the Masters' in Augusta a few weeks ago. He may have stood shoulder to shoulder with someone I know. Never know! Or, maybe never laid eyes on him.

I actually have no idea who wrote it. I didn't - that's what matters. I give the credit to the man who did, whatever his name may be. Also take note - I was not there, nor did I see it, obviously, so I cannot say whether his account is completely accurate, but I'm trusting that it is.

For the past few days, while I tried to enjoy one of the greatest golf tournaments
in the world, all I was entertained with was the Tiger Woods show. As soon as one golfer would hit a tee shot or make a putt, it seemed that the next view would be that of Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods just missing a putt that would have put him in contention with the other golfers. Tiger Woods hooking his drive which showed how his time off had hurt his game. Tiger Woods trying to “respect” the game. How it seemed that the Tiger was able to put his past transgressions behind him and was able to concentrate on the job at hand. It just kept going on and on about Tiger this and Tiger that.

On the other hand, a little miracle was occurring at the Masters; one golfer just kept smiling. He smiled if he made a good drive, or if he made a bad drive. He smiled if he made a 50 foot putt or missed a 5 foot putt. As he walked between holes, he smiled and shook hands with the crowd. He never cursed a bad stoke or blamed
another person for a miss. All he did was smile.

Why would Phil Mickelson be smiling? Here was a man whose wife has breast cancer. Here was a man whose mother has breast cancer. Here is a man who rather than allow his wife and mother to fight this battle by themselves, took time off from the PGA tour to be with them. Here was a man that returned to the game he loved when his wife ordered him to. Here was man, who was so glad for the miracle
that was happening as his wife moved closer to a cure, that he rewarded her
oncologist by allowing him to be his guest caddy at last week’s golf tournament. This move, which could have cost Mickelson thousands of
dollars in purse money, was his gift to a man he knew he could never thank
enough for what he had given to him.

During the last round today, Phil’s wife was staying in their hotel room since she was still weak from the chemo treatments she is receiving. Phil did not know as he walked up to the 18th tee that his wife would be there. All Phil did was smile. He smiled to the crowds, he smiled to the TV audience, he smiled to God. After his last putt found the bottom of the hole, he hugged his caddy and others and walked to the scorer’s shack. He then gave the biggest smile of the whole four days. He saw his wife, and even in the midst of thousands of people, it seemed that only two where
there.

Tomorrow I am going to smile. I am going to smile if it is nice weather or bad. I am going to smile at the driver who honks his horn at me, or the driver who cuts me
off. I am going to smile if I get the order or not. And when the day is done, I am going to save my biggest smile for the person who makes me complete. Then I am going to look to the heavens and give thanks for being able to smile.

Thanks Phil! God bless you and your family. And keep on smiling!