When we are young it seems like life will go on forever. We take so many things for granted and don’t appreciate a lot of things that we should. As we get older, work and family takes up most of our time. Usually it takes something serious to get our attention and make us start to appreciate all we have in life. Things like the friends that have stayed true. Our good health and physical abilities. Family, walks with the dog. Then when sickness or death comes to us, or someone close to us, we really start to evaluate life and how much we think we have left.
Levin Miles was a teenager and was diagnose to have terminal cancer. He lived for two more years and wrote many post on his web page on the internet. His one about life and comparing it to hitting a basket of golf balls on the driving range hit home to me and I want to pass it along here.
Levin Miles writes: “I went to the driving range the other day and I was thinking. I was thinking how you start out with a big bucket full of golf balls, and you just start hitting away carelessly. You have dozens of them, each individual ball means nothing to you so you just hit & hit. One ball gone is inconsequential when subtracted from your bottom less bucket. There are no practice sings or technique re-evaluations after a bad shot, because so many more tries remain. Yet eventually you start to have to reach down towards the bottom of the bucket to scavenge for another shot and you realize that tries are running out. Now with just a handful left, each swing becomes more meaningful. The right technique becomes more crucial, so between each shot you take a couple practice swings and a few deep breaths. There is a very strong need to end on a good note, even if every preceding shot was terrible, getting it right at the end means a lot. You know as you tee up your last ball. THIS IS MY FINAL SHOT, I WANT TO CRUSH THIS WITH PERFECTION; I MUST MAKE THIS COUNT. Limited quantities or limited time brings a new, precious value and significance to anything you do. Live every day shooting as if it’s your last shot, I know I have to.”
Like Miles suggested, we should treat each day as a precious ball of life. Take your time, take a breath and make a practice swing. Make each shot count and most of all FINISH STRONG.
God gives opportunities every day to make a difference in the lives of others and our communities. Never pass them up saying , oh I can do that tomorrow. You never know when that tomorrow won’t come .
Each moment may be your last, take advantage of it to hit each ball as far as you can. Finish Strong and may the impact your life leaves when you are gone, reverberate down the valley of life, for a long time, in a very positive way.
