Month: April 2017

On Saturday morning of the Utopia Retreat, David Cook took us to a nearby ranch to show us something from a story he had written. His book “Golf’s Sacred Journey 2” continues the story of the young golfer, Luke, and his mentor, Johnny as Luke is preparing for his next big tournament. One of the main themes of the story is the importance of dreams in our lives. Johnny says that he believes that the Good Lord plants dreams in the hearts of everyone, but for most of us, the seed gets trapped inside. One of the biggest stumbling blocks is fear, such as the fear that our dreams are too big, or that we lack the skill or the talent to make them real, or that we might fail or be laughed at, or any number of other irrational thoughts that creep into our minds to make us second-guess ourselves. In the story, Johnny shows Luke and old seed planter that had been abandoned on the edge of the field 70 years ago, half full of seed, never to be planted. He opens the bin of the planter to show him the seed inside, and they encounter a red wasp lurking in the corner of the bin, a perfect representation of the fear that paralyzes us.

I always thought that this was one of the most powerful chapters in the book, because of what it says about unfulfilled potential. So, you can imagine my surprise when the author of the book took us to this very field from the story and sitting there next to the fence, crowded up against an encroaching persimmon bush, was the actual seed planter that had inspired him to include it as a lesson to those who are on this journey of discovery. He had us look inside and pick out a few of the seeds, and we noticed that there was indeed a red wasp guarding the seed, just as it did in the story. Also, as in the story, we were instructed to take a seed and find a quiet place to get in touch with that still, small voice of truth and learn what it would tell us about what we could accomplish with the faith and confidence to bury the lies that have a stranglehold on our abilities and talents. It has now been 10 years since he first saw this seed planter, and in the book, he explains that one oat plant could easily produce 10 or more seed heads, and that if each of the seeds in the seed bin had been planted 10 years ago and produced 10 seeds, and if each of those had produced 10 seeds the next year, after 10 years, billions of seeds could have been produced.

In this incredible setting, it is easy to gain a perspective on how freedom is a powerful force, but that we need to be on guard against the fear and the lies that can deceive us into believing that we can never be all that we were put here to be. It was in this setting that I was able to identify many of the lies that  have held me back, and to find the will to let go of them and to bury them once and for all.That is a story for another day. Please leave your comments below.

 

At this week’s meeting of the “Seven Days in Utopia” study group we wrapped up our discussion of the golfer’s story by following his adventure at the Texas Open. He got to put the things he learned, both about golf and life, to work in ways that could only be seen by someone who has learned to recognize opportunity when it knocks. He was able to have a profound influence on the life of a fellow competitor and in the process, he saw a new life of significance and purpose open for him. He also learned that there are times when it is necessary to leave tradition behind and approach challenging situations with the courage that comes from recognizing the voice of truth.

In the end, the question of whether or not he made that final putt could be discussed at some length. One of two things would end up happening. Either he comes in second to the best player in golf, which is the expectation, or he achieves a stunning upset that will be talked about for years. I suppose you can look at it from two perspectives. One is that ‘it isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game’. Another is that ‘second place is the first loser’. I can imagine that the first statement is something you might hear from your mother while the second is more than likely what your father would say. How would either outcome have a different effect on the impact this person could make in the lives of others? We aren’t told at this point.

Throughout this study, David Cook has illustrated the similarities between golf and life in general. He tells us that golf is like fly-fishing, it takes rhythm, balance, and patience. Or golf is like piloting an airplane, you need to be ready to solve unexpected problems. Or golf is like being the President of the United States, you should speak softly and carry a Big Bertha Callaway driver. Ok, I made that last one up, he never said that. The fact is that you can draw comparisons between things you deal with in your every-day life and a variety of activities and pursuits. When you learn to engage your passion, and unite it with your true calling and purpose, that is what it truly means to ‘find your game’.

There is an answer to the question “did he make the putt?” and it can be found in the second book in this series, “Golf’s Sacred Journey 2”. My hope is that we can continue this adventure and explore in more detail the themes that were introduced in the opening story. I will keep you posted on the prospects for continuing this soon, so check back often.

if you are one of those who participated in the group, please leave your comments below. it will be a big help in seeing how we can use this story to inspire others down the road. Thank you to all who were a part of this endeavor.