“It’s the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It’s the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live.”
~ Bette Midler, “The Rose”
As Palm Sunday and the Masters final round and a false spring storm in the mountains all collide, I am reflecting on shifting energies and the rites and rituals of the season.
I watched the Masters a bit yesterday and thought of my longtime favorite player- Phil Mickelson- sitting out- hopefully doing something restorative and awesome with his family, because after 25 plus years, he deserves it.
I researched his absence a bit:
“Hero? Gentleman? Jerk?” read one reviewers comments. “Good Guy? Bad Guy? What is the truth about Phil Mickelson?” read another.
It was interesting to be reading this commentary the same day I witnessed a very moving Palm Sunday, complete with re-enactment of Pilate and his people deciding on these very questions about Jesus.
Enough of the armchair analysis, is what I am thinking. And why are we so quick to crucify those who don’t constantly play to the path of least resistance/popularity contest?
Today is Monday, the day Jesus went into the temple and turned the tax collectors’ tables upside down. This is the incident that taught me about “Speaking the Truth in Love,” and that even the Prince of Peace found the need to be straight forward and stern with strong oppressors.
So Phil took a break this year from the Masters, the most iconic and tradition-rich of all the major golf tournaments.
He has been making rumblings about players’’ rights within the PGA.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the guy. He’s about my age, he got married the same year I did and was entering the golf scene as I was entering the sports marketing scene. I see him speaking up for what he believes in an industry where, as I can attest, there is no shortage of ego and exploitation.
I see Phil advocating for future players’ rights, and their autonomy. The guy has had tremendous and hard-earned success; this makes him fortunate, and an easy target.
The world loves easy targets.
Jesus story, Phil’s story- Do I pretend to know all the facts on either of them? Nope- in fact, maybe just enough to be dangerous. But I do observe a common thread here, and that is, that two thousand years later, we are still a people that are quick to crucify.
Instead, let’s stay inspired:
“Always do your best”
says Don Miguel Ruiz in the last and maybe most important of The Four Agreements.“Stand up for your rights. Don’t give up the fight,” sings Bob Marley.
The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motive
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
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