I am intrigued and captivated by the game and sport of golf. I love the smell of the green, the sound of my seven-iron making contact with my neon yellow golf ball, the feeling of satisfaction when finally making par. I'm not signing up for PGA Tour any time soon, but I can hold my own, once you take into account my handicap. The golf handicap index score is a numerical rating which represents a player's capabilities to complete a course, taking a certain number of strokes. A high handicap index score indicates that a golfer will take more strokes to complete a course comparatively to a golfer with a lower index score. Thus, the lower the score, the better and more skilled the player. The golfer with the higher index score, may not have the skillset to avoid sand traps, or the infamous course bond, but if the golfer remains persistent, working within the confines of his/her skillset, that golfer will still finish the course, just like everyone else.
Life, metaphorically speaking, can be like a golf course. There are unexpected slopes that may temporarily deter you away from your goals. Sometimes we can get stuck in a sand trap, and it takes stroke after stroke to set ourselves free from its grip. Sometimes, we end up falling into a pond, and just have to pull out another plan, and start over. Our limitations, our own abilities may seem confining, and completing this course of life may seem impossible. Although we may be confined by our life skills, education, or exposure to opportunities, we are still capable of completing our course. The great apostle of the Christian faith, the Apostle Paul, wrote in one of his letters to his beloved apprentice Timothy, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..." (2 Timothy 4:7). This sounds like words from a man who had a near perfect life, who's reminiscing over his many accomplishments. However this could be the farthest thing from the truth. The great apostle Paul, who wrote nearly 2/3 of the New Testament of the Holy Bible, was once a major persecutor of the early Christian church. He had to change his name from Saul of Tarsus to Paul because when he was converted to Christianity, no one trusted him, due to his notorious reputation of killing Christians. After his conversion, Paul spent most of his days in and out of prison for spreading the gospel message of Christ across the Roman Empire. The words even recorded above were written while Paul was in custody awaiting his execution in Rome. Paul was physically confined, but even then, it did not deter him from completing his course, which was to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to non-Jewish people. Paul equates his journey to a fight, in which he gave his all. He stayed true to his course, regardless of confinement, and relied upon his faith in God to fuel his passion to complete his assignment. Likewise, if we are desiring to complete our course that is set before us, we have to fight a good fight. A good fighter works within their ability to deliver calculated blows to take down their opponent. We must be calculated in our approach to situations in our lives, capitalizing upon our strengths, while recognizing our limitations. We must be determined to finish our course, and not be concerned about the courses of others. We must hold onto faith through positive affirmations about where we want to be, and who we want to become. Confinement is inevitable, but completion is optional. Challenge yourself to choose completion in the midst of confinement. Don't quit, the 18th hole is just a few yards ahead. Love to hear from you. Please comment.
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AuthorAkon M. Walker, MPA, motivates readers to transform words of inspiration into life application. Archives
June 2019
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