The Frustrating Glory

Post written by Aaron Bouwens.

It was Mark Twain who is credited with encouraging not to let the little white ball ruin your walk in the park. When it come to playing golf the only thing Tiger Woods and I have in common is that we both use a golf ball and golf clubs. Still, I cannot seem to get enough of the game. Whenever the time opens up in the schedule coupled with cooperative weather, I can be found on a golf course engaging in the glorious mystery. Nothing in a more apt metaphor of my life than a trip around the 18 holes of a golf course.

Usually the first two or three holes involve a pretty sad display of golf. More often than not at least one ball is lost, and a few chunks of sod are sacrificed. After weathering the opening storm rays of hope begin to creep in. Evidence that I have actually played the game before starts to emerge. Just as I begin to think I am starting to get the hang of this, I am humbled into remembering there is a reason I am called a recreational golfer. Once the circuit is complete I look back at some pretty awful shots, many average shots, along with one or two glorious shots. More than once I have parked the cart and wondered why I even attempt to play the game. In the midst of the frustration, those one or to shots of glory beacon me to return.

Our lives are not all that different. Those who are willing to set out on the course and risk miss hits and water hazards, there will be a frustrating glory. Few and far between are the people who look back and see nothing but perfect shots in their lives. The honest person has some pretty awful shots, many average shots and a few glorious ones. Its the glorious shots which keep us going. Those moments when all the variables come together, the sweet spot is hit, and life seems to sail along just fine.

It seems as though we are designed to remember the really good moments in life more than the not so good moments. Perhaps there a reason for that. I think it is called hope. We remember the highlights and minimize the down times in order to be hopeful about what lie ahead. Golf and life are a frustrating glory. Only once in a while do we hit the ball where we meant to, and when that happens it sticks with us until it happens again.

I began with a quote and I will end with one that I do not know who to give credit to, but every golfer has shared some from of it. A bad day of golf is better than a good day in the office. A day with frustrating glory is better than and average day of just getting by.

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