My Most Memorable Moment

P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

My Most memorable Moment
Friend, what makes a class memorable? A job worthwhile? A marriage wonderful? An event unprecedented? Or a life worth living? At least one element of the answer to all of these questions can be illustrated by a recent experience in the life of John Yates. He called it his "most memorable moment" in golf. John Yates wasn't even playing on the day in question. He was just one of the thousands of spectators for the final round of the 2003 Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He was standing in the huge gallery at No 7 to watch none other than Tiger woods hit his approach shot to the hole. Tiger Wood's drive veered to the right - and hit John Yates squarely in the head! The ball cut Yates scalp, raised a big lump, and bounced into the greenside bunker. A concerned Tiger Woods went to Yates to apologize. He found his victim lying on his back, conscious but bleeding. "I'm so sorry," Woods said. Then, shaking Yates' hand, the world's most famous golfer said, "Hang in there!" And he turned to the tournament marshals to ask if medical help was coming. Woods continued to play. And wouldn't you know it? He made a birdie on No 7! Then he came back to Yates and gave him a glove and ball. Yates had to have a few stitches in his head. Otherwise, he was fine in a few days. "I helped him out because my head knocked it back toward the hole," said a good-spirited Yates of the whole affair. "He birdied the hole, I guess. I didn't see it. It's my most memorable moment in golf." Believe it or not, it's a parable about life. Some of my most worthwhile classes during my school days were the ones where I quickly discovered I was over my head, botched the first exam or two, and buckled down to my task - only to make a passing grade. However, of more value than the grade was the discovery that tough challenges are good for you. They bring out your best. They prove you can do what looked impossible. Friend, perhaps you have found this to be true by surviving a tough economy or severe drought. Or maybe you found that not surviving a downturn with your job or company didn't mean losing hope. It made you creative. It revealed your fierce determination. It shaped character. It is true, that in personal, family, or professional life, tough blows cause real pain. But if the pain were taken out of our lives, the great virtues of courage, endurance, faith, compassion, hope, and love would go too. As it is, we often look back only to find that suffering created the opportunity for life's most memorable moments and we are reminded that, no matter how bad things are today, tomorrow can be better! Friend, I'm hoping that today will provide you with some memorable moments. If you would like to write to me, I'd be pleased to hear from you. My address is: P.O. Box 1540, Albany WA 6331. Or you could Email Me.

My Most memorable Moment

Friend, what makes a class memorable? A job worthwhile? A marriage wonderful? An event unprecedented? Or a life worth living? At least one element of the answer to all of these questions can be illustrated by a recent experience in the life of John Yates. He called it his "most memorable moment" in golf.

John Yates wasn't even playing on the day in question. He was just one of the thousands of spectators for the final round of the 2003 Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He was standing in the huge gallery at No 7 to watch none other than Tiger woods hit his approach shot to the hole.

Tiger Wood's drive veered to the right - and hit John Yates squarely in the head! The ball cut Yates scalp, raised a big lump, and bounced into the greenside bunker.

A concerned Tiger Woods went to Yates to apologize. He found his victim lying on his back, conscious but bleeding. "I'm so sorry," Woods said. Then, shaking Yates' hand, the world's most famous golfer said, "Hang in there!" And he turned to the tournament marshals to ask if medical help was coming.

Woods continued to play. And wouldn't you know it? He made a birdie on No 7! Then he came back to Yates and gave him a glove and ball. Yates had to have a few stitches in his head. Otherwise, he was fine in a few days.

"I helped him out because my head knocked it back toward the hole," said a good-spirited Yates of the whole affair. "He birdied the hole, I guess. I didn't see it. It's my most memorable moment in golf."

Believe it or not, it's a parable about life. Some of my most worthwhile classes during my school days were the ones where I quickly discovered I was over my head, botched the first exam or two, and buckled down to my task - only to make a passing grade. However, of more value than the grade was the discovery that tough challenges are good for you. They bring out your best. They prove you can do what looked impossible.

Friend, perhaps you have found this to be true by surviving a tough economy or severe drought. Or maybe you found that not surviving a downturn with your job or company didn't mean losing hope. It made you creative. It revealed your fierce determination. It shaped character.

It is true, that in personal, family, or professional life, tough blows cause real pain. But if the pain were taken out of our lives, the great virtues of courage, endurance, faith, compassion, hope, and love would go too. As it is, we often look back only to find that suffering created the opportunity for life's most memorable moments and we are reminded that, no matter how bad things are today, tomorrow can be better!

Friend, I'm hoping that today will provide you with some memorable moments.

If you would like to write to me, I'd be pleased to hear from you. My address is: P.O. Box 1540, Albany WA 6331. Or you could Email Me.