It is early Saturday morning. As you inhale slowly taking in the cool morning air, you can smell the faint smell of the moist grass, and the wonderful smells of early morning. It is just starting to get light, and you can feel the cool breeze. You’re still a little cold, but you know that soon you will be warm, with sunglasses on enjoying the sunshine. It is the perfect time of day. Peace, quite, still, relaxing, these are just some of the words that one can use to describe the feeling felt at the tee box of the first hole.
You reach down to place your ball on the tee. Trying to get it to the perfect height to perch your golf ball on. Once set you place your ball on top making sure to line up the line you drew on your ball with the distant flag. You back up and stand behind your work, and stare down the fairway at the large patch of green off in the distance. You stand and ponder your plan off attack. Do you go for the green or do you just lay it up in the fairway leaving yourself a good safe second shot? Just a couple of the many questions you ask yourself before you take your first shot of the day.
After a few moments of contemplation you’re ready for your shot. You take your place next to the ball with your club in your gloved hand. You line up for the shot and in the very brief moment before you begin to swing the club back you take into account the slight change in wind and recheck your grip. Once this is done it is time, you begin to swing back and you feel your left shoulder slightly push against your chin letting you know you have gone back far enough, a momentary pause and then you release. Feeling calm and loose you swing your club forward, and as you strike the ball with a very satisfying metallic sounding pop you continue with your follow-through allowing your right shoulder to push your chin to the left, your body following along to watch the ball almost effortlessly fly towards the green. You stop, you don’t move for some reason, it is almost as if you do you just might alter the path of the ball.
Once the ball has landed you allow yourself to drop your club and relax your stance, squaring yourself with the far off green. Your choice to go for green has paid off. You did not quite make it, but instead your ball in a cool 20 yards to the front left of the pin. An easy chip you think to yourself. Your heart beats slightly faster as you consider the fact that you have the potential to open the day up with a birdie. You whisper to yourself “I love golf” as you slowly walk off the tee box to your bag to replace your driver to it’s proper location. And allow your friend to take their shot.
There are few other games like golf. It is something that once you play you either think to yourself “eh it is ok but not that fun” or you just simply can not stop thinking about it. There are many wonderful things about this great game of golf. Now I am not going to try to convince you that you need to start playing golf, although I would be happy if you did, I am just going to compare some similarities, or parallels between golf and life.
IN life we are all to often presented with choices that we need to make. Some of them are simple and others are not so simple. Some of them we have made before and others we might have to try something a little more risky to make it work. In golf it is fairly similar. We often times hit the ball in a similar place as before, but at other times we may do much better or far worse, landing you in the trees to the right of the green, or even worse right behind a tree. What do you do? Do you go around, what about trying to thread the needle and go between two trees? What about when you hit the ball into the water? It is worth it too you to go in after it? Or do you just let it go and take the 2-stroke penalty? Ahh the joy of making choices.
You may be playing an average game of golf one day. Something that is not very memorable. You will probably forget about it in a month, but then on the 11th hole you strike a ball off of the tee and it lands 5 feet from the hole, or you sink a chip from 30 yards out. All of a sudden all of the tough things that you have gone through don’t seem to matter, because that one shot makes the whole day worth it. In life it is the same, we may go though a lot of crap, but when you get the one great shot it was all worth it to get there.
In reality life just like golf is not that complicated. The method to fixing problems is typically the same; just the terrain has changed from last time. You may change from a 7 iron to a 6 iron, however you still know what to do. When you overcomplicate it you just make it worse, and when you stress about the next shot you make it worse. Just make the shot and you will do fine. So what you land in the sand, life will move on and you will be fine. You may not get the 8 over par day you hoped for, but it is the joy in playing the game that matters, not the score. However it sure is great when you get that score you were hoping for. But you will get it. It may take some time. You may have some bad games, but you must. It is part of the process of getting better and better every day.
Is it really that simple? Is it really that similar? I think so. You may or may not see what I am talking about. I am vague by design, remember do what we all so best. Think.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Where Can I Turn For Peace?
In the world today there is so much that can make life difficult, and oft times difficult to deal with. Life has this way of throwing things at you that test and trys one to the breaking point. And yet through all of this, life always seems to work out. I don't really understand how that works out, however I do know that it does. It always has, and always will.
Recently I found out that a friend is going through some tough times. always hard to hear about friends having difficulties, esspecially cause there is normaly nothing that we can do about it for them, except perhaps just be someone that they can talk to.
But as a result of this I have thought to myself "what do I do to find peace when the winds of change or tribulation are hitting me?" Well I have thought about it and I realize that there are some things that I do over and over again to help. I don't do it consciously but I am just drawn to things to help. So I shall share a few of them with all of you that may be reading this. I am not sure if there is anything that will help you, but who know there just might be something that might help out a bit.
one thing that I alwasy like to do is to play the guitar or sing. I love music, life is so simple when I am playing or making music. There is a song for every phase in life. Music can comfort one and take them somewhere where the troubles and worries are not, even if it is just for a couple of min it is always nice to have. Recently I have taken back to practicing the guitar agian. I primarly play classical music but I like to play other stuff as well. The reason I like the classical is due to the fact that it is hard. When I am playing it er rather trying to learn to there is not much else I can think about other than trying to make good music. I am sure most of you have your own thing with music, but for me it is a great tool to help.
The other thing that I like to do is play golf. I don't do it often, but when I do it really brings great relief to me. The reason why is cause when you are playing there is not any energy left to think about the troubles of the world. When your biggest worry in life is that you just hit a ball into the sand trap or the rough grass it is a good time. Cause you know what? Who cares where that ball lands? the game will go on and that one shot makes a whole day worth it. (hmm I think I know what my next blog is going to be about)
Now for the next couple of things that I like to do I am going to go the the gospel path. For those of you that may not know, but I am sure that most of you do, I am one that goes to church. I at times can be a little churchy, but I try hard to keep it personal, and between me and my closest friends, and family. However with that said one thing that I always do when life is hard, and I don't seem to have anywere else to turn I turn to prayer. I may not always get the answers, but I always get the peace, and I know that someone hears it. There is always an ear that is ready to hear me, even when it seems like there is no one that cares. that very thing has helped my more then anything. I find that when I forget this, and I forget that I need to throw a shout out to the Lord life thorws some serious curves at me, and they often drive me to my knees. These times have made me a better because of it. But anyway I don't want to go to much more into that, but it works, and it helps.
The other thing that I do is I try to help others. I find that when I go and help others that I forget about my own problems, and I get caught up in giving assistance to others, and makeing their life better. I am always glad to do that, and it help me keep perspective in tough times.
The last thing that I like to do is go up to the DC Mormon Temple. It is a great place, and when you are there you just feel a peace that you don't feel many other places. Even on the grounds. I love it there. Many a hard choices came from thinking there.
Well anyway, I hope that this is of some use to someone somewhere. I know that this all sounds simple. I know that when life is beating you down and down that it is hard to get the peace of mind that we all seek. However it is there, and there is some other power somewhere that is looking after us and is trying to help us.
Is it Really. . .something that we can handle? Is it really ever going to be better? Two questions that I know from time to time that I ask myself.
"In your hour of doubt
lonliness or fear
just listen to your heart
and this is what you'll hear
You're not alone
even tho right now you're on your own
you are loved in ways that can't be shown
you needs are known
your not alone
And when you cry
you're just letting go a heart ache deep inside
So tomorrow there'll be sunshine and sky
and love close by; You're not alone
And I know that it's not easy
but I know that it won't last
Cause one who loves you more than me
He is sending his blessings fast
you're not alone
say it one more time, "I'm not alone"
And even when it's hard to find the words
your prayers are always heard
your not alone"
Michael McLean - "You're Not Alone"
- this song has brought me so much peace over the years singing it to myself. I hope that perhaps it can bring you some as well.
Recently I found out that a friend is going through some tough times. always hard to hear about friends having difficulties, esspecially cause there is normaly nothing that we can do about it for them, except perhaps just be someone that they can talk to.
But as a result of this I have thought to myself "what do I do to find peace when the winds of change or tribulation are hitting me?" Well I have thought about it and I realize that there are some things that I do over and over again to help. I don't do it consciously but I am just drawn to things to help. So I shall share a few of them with all of you that may be reading this. I am not sure if there is anything that will help you, but who know there just might be something that might help out a bit.
one thing that I alwasy like to do is to play the guitar or sing. I love music, life is so simple when I am playing or making music. There is a song for every phase in life. Music can comfort one and take them somewhere where the troubles and worries are not, even if it is just for a couple of min it is always nice to have. Recently I have taken back to practicing the guitar agian. I primarly play classical music but I like to play other stuff as well. The reason I like the classical is due to the fact that it is hard. When I am playing it er rather trying to learn to there is not much else I can think about other than trying to make good music. I am sure most of you have your own thing with music, but for me it is a great tool to help.
The other thing that I like to do is play golf. I don't do it often, but when I do it really brings great relief to me. The reason why is cause when you are playing there is not any energy left to think about the troubles of the world. When your biggest worry in life is that you just hit a ball into the sand trap or the rough grass it is a good time. Cause you know what? Who cares where that ball lands? the game will go on and that one shot makes a whole day worth it. (hmm I think I know what my next blog is going to be about)
Now for the next couple of things that I like to do I am going to go the the gospel path. For those of you that may not know, but I am sure that most of you do, I am one that goes to church. I at times can be a little churchy, but I try hard to keep it personal, and between me and my closest friends, and family. However with that said one thing that I always do when life is hard, and I don't seem to have anywere else to turn I turn to prayer. I may not always get the answers, but I always get the peace, and I know that someone hears it. There is always an ear that is ready to hear me, even when it seems like there is no one that cares. that very thing has helped my more then anything. I find that when I forget this, and I forget that I need to throw a shout out to the Lord life thorws some serious curves at me, and they often drive me to my knees. These times have made me a better because of it. But anyway I don't want to go to much more into that, but it works, and it helps.
The other thing that I do is I try to help others. I find that when I go and help others that I forget about my own problems, and I get caught up in giving assistance to others, and makeing their life better. I am always glad to do that, and it help me keep perspective in tough times.
The last thing that I like to do is go up to the DC Mormon Temple. It is a great place, and when you are there you just feel a peace that you don't feel many other places. Even on the grounds. I love it there. Many a hard choices came from thinking there.
Well anyway, I hope that this is of some use to someone somewhere. I know that this all sounds simple. I know that when life is beating you down and down that it is hard to get the peace of mind that we all seek. However it is there, and there is some other power somewhere that is looking after us and is trying to help us.
Is it Really. . .something that we can handle? Is it really ever going to be better? Two questions that I know from time to time that I ask myself.
"In your hour of doubt
lonliness or fear
just listen to your heart
and this is what you'll hear
You're not alone
even tho right now you're on your own
you are loved in ways that can't be shown
you needs are known
your not alone
And when you cry
you're just letting go a heart ache deep inside
So tomorrow there'll be sunshine and sky
and love close by; You're not alone
And I know that it's not easy
but I know that it won't last
Cause one who loves you more than me
He is sending his blessings fast
you're not alone
say it one more time, "I'm not alone"
And even when it's hard to find the words
your prayers are always heard
your not alone"
Michael McLean - "You're Not Alone"
- this song has brought me so much peace over the years singing it to myself. I hope that perhaps it can bring you some as well.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
I wish I knew everything. . .
You know I wish that I knew everything. yea no I don't that would kind of suck. There would be great aspects of it for sure, but at the same time it would take the spice of life out.
I am talking mostly about know what will happen after we make choices. What is on the other side of that equals sign. There have been many times in the last while that I have had to make a choice about different things, and at the time I sure would have liked to know what was going to happen as a result of it.
Well life does not allow for that to be the case, we must make choices and learn for ourselves what will happen. Now most of you may think that i am crazy, and wondering why I would not want to know what is going to happen next. There is a reason for this though process. Allow me to elaborate on this.
When I make a choice and it turns out good or bad, it does not really matter which, and it comes time to make that choice again I know what I am going to do, or what I am not going to do. Some times I don't get it the first time or the next 8 times, but sure as rain i'll get it one day. And that is the fun part, when you come to a choice and it is a repeat and you know how to handle it. That knowladge is yours, and you learned it good o'le fashoned way. The school of hard knocks, a place where the teachers are . . . .rough.
Like it also teaches us to takes risks, which can be quite fun and enjoyable, and other times it can be painful, but all in all the journy is allways worth it I guess. I like the learning what choices to make, even though sometimes when I am in the thick of it I lose perspective, as it is so easy to do.
There are no great life changing choices that I am going to have to make here in the next month (at least that I am aware of) nor in the last little bit, otherwise I could give a good example perhaps somthing shall come up and I can give an example of how I don't have a clue what to do.
Is it really better to know what will happen? or Is it really better to learn for yourself? I leave that up to you to decide for yourself.
I am talking mostly about know what will happen after we make choices. What is on the other side of that equals sign. There have been many times in the last while that I have had to make a choice about different things, and at the time I sure would have liked to know what was going to happen as a result of it.
Well life does not allow for that to be the case, we must make choices and learn for ourselves what will happen. Now most of you may think that i am crazy, and wondering why I would not want to know what is going to happen next. There is a reason for this though process. Allow me to elaborate on this.
When I make a choice and it turns out good or bad, it does not really matter which, and it comes time to make that choice again I know what I am going to do, or what I am not going to do. Some times I don't get it the first time or the next 8 times, but sure as rain i'll get it one day. And that is the fun part, when you come to a choice and it is a repeat and you know how to handle it. That knowladge is yours, and you learned it good o'le fashoned way. The school of hard knocks, a place where the teachers are . . . .rough.
Like it also teaches us to takes risks, which can be quite fun and enjoyable, and other times it can be painful, but all in all the journy is allways worth it I guess. I like the learning what choices to make, even though sometimes when I am in the thick of it I lose perspective, as it is so easy to do.
There are no great life changing choices that I am going to have to make here in the next month (at least that I am aware of) nor in the last little bit, otherwise I could give a good example perhaps somthing shall come up and I can give an example of how I don't have a clue what to do.
Is it really better to know what will happen? or Is it really better to learn for yourself? I leave that up to you to decide for yourself.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
be that friend
Life sometimes is really tough to say the least. There are many things that help us get through the tough times. Over the course of the last year I have discovered many different things that help me during the tough times. Over the course of the last year there have been some interesting times in my life and some interesting choices that have been made. Some of the choices are very small, and some of them where quite big, some that the effects of have already come and gone, and others that the effects will ring in my life till I die. But I have learned a lot the last year and now that I am where I am I guess that I would not change any part of it. Even the parts that at the time seemed so hard that I was not sure if I could handle it, or that I would make it through them.
This Blog entry is going to be a bit more personal than normal, and well . . .that’s ok cause this is mine, and I can do that. So I am going to.
Anyway back to my life, there have been some tough times, and there has been so many things that I have learned over the last few years. I guess the good Lord saw it fit to give me lots of learning opportunities in the last year. There has been no shortage of them. He definatly has played a part in my life, and I can see that now, there are times when I was asking over and over for things, and I wanted them so badly, and nothing would happen all to often and then a few day, weeks, and sometimes even months later I would see why it happened the way that it did.
Well this is not about where I am now, but rather some of the things that happened to help make my life a little more manageable during the tough times. As I said the good Lord saw fit to make life challenging but he did not leave me alone that is for sure. There have been many different people, events, ect that have happened to me that I can see that there is a hand in it.
The one thing that has helped me through all of the tough times has been the blessing of some really great friends in my life. Since coming here to good ol’e Washington DC I have made some really great friends. Some of them have played such a huge role I wonder if they will ever fully comprehend how much they have affected my life. I feel sad that I know that I may never be able to repay what some of them have done for me. I try all of the time to do so, but it just never feels like I do enough in return.
Over the last year I have gotten to see who is truly my friends. I had a question posed to me, or actually it was more of a statement that got me thinking. A very close friend of mine said that he/she was driving to the church and an ambulance was driving past with the sirens on in the general direction of the church. And it got this person thinking, if it was going to the church whom would it be for? And if it was someone I knew, what would I do? (And then the big part for me) Who would it need to be for me to want to ride in the Ambulance with them? Well this person said that if it were me that they would make sure that they were in the ambulance with me.
That really got me thinking. If it were this person I would be in the ambulance as well. I would make sure that I was in there. But that made me think about who else would I make sure that I was in there if it happened, and or who would I want in there if it were me that was hurt? I realized that there are a few people that I would want to be there. And that thought led to another, who of those that are my friends, that when things are tough, who do I wants to talk to first? I realized that I do have some people like that.
I do not want to get into naming people; I just hope that I make it known how I feel through my actions towards them. But there are some people here in the DC area that mean the world to me, and that I would do anything for. Some people that have helped me so much that I am honored to call them “my friends”.
We all need to have friends like that; I know that I would not be where I am with out the assistance from great friends. But I also have learned that if you want to have best friends then the most important part is to be that friend. I try hard to be that kind of friend. I know that I fall short and that I do not always meet the need, but I sure do try to, and I guess that counts for something right?
Well I am going to wrap this up now, but I want end this with part of the lyrics to a great song about this
“Be that friend, be that kind
That you prayed you might find
And you always have a best friend
Come what may”
Thanks to those of you that are being that kind of friend.
This Blog entry is going to be a bit more personal than normal, and well . . .that’s ok cause this is mine, and I can do that. So I am going to.
Anyway back to my life, there have been some tough times, and there has been so many things that I have learned over the last few years. I guess the good Lord saw it fit to give me lots of learning opportunities in the last year. There has been no shortage of them. He definatly has played a part in my life, and I can see that now, there are times when I was asking over and over for things, and I wanted them so badly, and nothing would happen all to often and then a few day, weeks, and sometimes even months later I would see why it happened the way that it did.
Well this is not about where I am now, but rather some of the things that happened to help make my life a little more manageable during the tough times. As I said the good Lord saw fit to make life challenging but he did not leave me alone that is for sure. There have been many different people, events, ect that have happened to me that I can see that there is a hand in it.
The one thing that has helped me through all of the tough times has been the blessing of some really great friends in my life. Since coming here to good ol’e Washington DC I have made some really great friends. Some of them have played such a huge role I wonder if they will ever fully comprehend how much they have affected my life. I feel sad that I know that I may never be able to repay what some of them have done for me. I try all of the time to do so, but it just never feels like I do enough in return.
Over the last year I have gotten to see who is truly my friends. I had a question posed to me, or actually it was more of a statement that got me thinking. A very close friend of mine said that he/she was driving to the church and an ambulance was driving past with the sirens on in the general direction of the church. And it got this person thinking, if it was going to the church whom would it be for? And if it was someone I knew, what would I do? (And then the big part for me) Who would it need to be for me to want to ride in the Ambulance with them? Well this person said that if it were me that they would make sure that they were in the ambulance with me.
That really got me thinking. If it were this person I would be in the ambulance as well. I would make sure that I was in there. But that made me think about who else would I make sure that I was in there if it happened, and or who would I want in there if it were me that was hurt? I realized that there are a few people that I would want to be there. And that thought led to another, who of those that are my friends, that when things are tough, who do I wants to talk to first? I realized that I do have some people like that.
I do not want to get into naming people; I just hope that I make it known how I feel through my actions towards them. But there are some people here in the DC area that mean the world to me, and that I would do anything for. Some people that have helped me so much that I am honored to call them “my friends”.
We all need to have friends like that; I know that I would not be where I am with out the assistance from great friends. But I also have learned that if you want to have best friends then the most important part is to be that friend. I try hard to be that kind of friend. I know that I fall short and that I do not always meet the need, but I sure do try to, and I guess that counts for something right?
Well I am going to wrap this up now, but I want end this with part of the lyrics to a great song about this
“Be that friend, be that kind
That you prayed you might find
And you always have a best friend
Come what may”
Thanks to those of you that are being that kind of friend.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
re: new podcast
This is a new pod Cast the Viddy and I are doing.
This is going to be here on a temparay basis till I get the new blog for it created.
http://www.switchpod.com//users/solo2070/podcast2.m4a
This is going to be here on a temparay basis till I get the new blog for it created.
http://www.switchpod.com//users/solo2070/podcast2.m4a
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