Please allow me to steal a quote from Happy Gilmore; “Think of a place that’s really... perfect. Your own Happy Place. Go there, and all your angry will just disappear...and putt.”
Many years ago I discovered my Happy Place, and let me be clear my Happy Place is not nearly as perverted as Happy’s version of the Happy Place, although we never get tired of getting into Happy’s head throughout the movie. My version is more like setting up for a drive on the 18th tee. It’s a warm summer evening at about 7:00pm. The sun is setting behind me and the tee box is slightly elevated. I’m staring down a 395 yard par four with a slight dogleg right. The swing is executed with perfect pace and the ball is sent on its way with a majestic ball flight fading ever so slightly to the contour of the hole.
In complete silence, with the exception of a few birds settling in for the night, I begin to walk down the fairway feeling the slight spring of the perfectly manicured fairway beneath my feet. My Happy Place
At work I’m presented with challenges that for the most part I create myself in an effort to improve myself and our video production group. I guess you can look at these challenges as a controlled burn. We plan, schedule, and measure these challenges. (No Happy Place needed) Outside of work challenges can sometime come at you like an out of control forest fire with plenty of fuel all around. (Happy Place needed) Recently I’ve been confronted with some of life’s challenges. A senior member of our family is having to except a few compromises in their normally independent lifestyle. For example; I’m trying to explain and demonstrate that removing certain luxuries such as driving will actually improve their life instead of ending it, (their words). Another challenge is explaining that I should be in the Doctor’s examining room with them to help explain courses of action, which is also very difficult for them to understand it’s necessary. Often these suggestions are received very poorly and I’m often met with a venomous responses. These challenges come with very few quick solutions and require a very patient approach and of course the Happy Place.
While our senior member of the family is comprehending their new found vulnerabilities and coming to the realization that nature has a way of telling you that you're not invincible I had a few discoveries of my own. As I was in the waiting room at urgent care with our senior family member for the second time in two days, and dressed for golf for the second time in two days I took a moment to reflect on a few things.
I reminded myself to appreciate every day even if it’s not going the way you want it to go. You have to figure out a way to get your head above the clouds of doom. And because I was able to get above the clouds in the waiting room I was looking around at some other senior members waiting for their turn to improve their situation. For some reason I was looking the various types of fashion choices. I began to wonder what type of fashion choice I will make during my senior years. I have pondered this in the past, and couldn’t quite nail it down.
Sitting in the waiting room I was suddenly struck with perfect clarity. I’m calling it Golf Course Casual. If I’m going to be challenged later in my life the same way our senior member and others are being challenged with now I may not be playing golf anymore, but I will dressed for it, and I’ll be dressed for my Happy Place.
I challenge you to find your own Happy Place, and as needed go there to raise above the clouds of doom. See you all out on the course.