Despite Parkinson's Disease, the game of golf still gives me great joy
to play. It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The game teaches me many
lessons by the people I play with and have played with. One of those lessons
was taught to me by an old golf mate, Jim. A few years ago my dear friend Karen
who I regularly golf with met me for our usual Friday afternoon on the links,
but on this particular Friday Karen said we would be joined by a friend of
hers, Jim. She explained to me that Jim worked out at the same fitness facility
and was recovering from some health issues. He had not golfed in over a decade
and wanted to get back into the swing of things so to speak. I knew that Karen
being the kind soul she is probably had a great deal to do with encouraging Jim
to get back into the game.
It was our usual Friday tee time at our local golf course. Jim pulled
into the parking lot. Karen said she was going to help him with his bag. I was
not sure why at first until I saw him get out of the car. Jim was missing a leg from the knee down. How
great that despite this challenge he was willing to give golf another try. Jim approached
me hand extended with a big smile on his face. I would come to find as time
went by that this was how Jim viewed life, with a smile. The round started and
we were all curious to see how he would manage to play, considering his age, a
long lay off, and an artificial leg. Our curiosity was answered as one shot
after another went straight down the middle, not far but straight. We were all
amazed. In between Jim beating us on what seemed to be every hole, I learned
more about our new golf partner as we played. The subject was brought up about
his leg. I assumed an accident of some sort was the reason for the missing
appendage. Jim explained that he was missing his leg because of diabetes and if
that was not enough, there was his liver transplant, and the reason he was
working out….to get his strength back from the chemotherapy he went through
because of the lung cancer that was in remission. If Jim had a dog that ran
away, he would have had a great start to a country song. All the rounds of golf
that Jim played were always filled with a tale of a great shot he made or
something funny he said or did. On one particular round of golf at a course
that was by a small airport that hosted vintage plane shows on the weekend,
Karen told me Jim was staring at the planes fascinated by the sight of the
relics flying so low as they passed over head that he never took his gaze off
them even as they went behind him. Karen looked back to comment about the sight
and burst into laughter when she saw Jim laying on the fairway, falling backwards
off of his artificial leg, smiling, laughing, and watching as they flew by while
his leg stood there in the middle of the golf course.
I would always ask Jim how he was doing. “Pat, I would complain if I thought anybody
would listen,” he would tell me as he chuckled. Jim rolled with life’s punches.
He could have complained, but didn’t. He
played the game for the best reason - - to spend time with friends.
A few years later the cancer came back. Jim golfed as his strength
allowed him and always with a smile. Karen gave him this great game back and us
the privilege of his friendship. She honors Jim by sponsoring a hole in his
memory at our golf tournament. I know he would have liked that. I have learned golf
is a game best shared, not taken too seriously, and passed along to others.
Thanks Jim for the best golf lesson I ever had.
Ok I am only crying here. Where's the darn kleenex?
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