Laughter

I spent the morning golfing with friends today. Although I'm not very good, I enjoy the game. More than the actual game, it's the "getting away" I enjoy most. Playing golf forces me away from the office, the computer, the phone, etc. Today's round was pretty typical for me - just trying not to embarass myself and lose every ball in my bag. And about the time I begin thinking that I really shouldn't be on the course, I hit a shot that gives me hope. As I said, that's typical of my game, I just don't get out enough to do any better, and for the most part I'm okay with that. I have no asperations of joining the tour.

However, today's highlight for me wasn't the few tee shots that I sent perfectly down the fairway...well out of sight, or even the scarce pars I made. It wasn't the perfect pitch out of the sand trap or the 20 foot put that I drained either. No, today's highlight was the laughter, of which I provided the fuel for.

You see, in addition to the those shots I mentioned earlier, there was one that bounced off the handle of a rake near a bunker, one that bounced off a curb on the cart path, one that bounced off a tree (even as scarce as they are around these parts), and one that bounced of a tee marker on the tee box (highly unorthodox shot, I don't recommend it). Of course, I wasn't laughing at the first couple of those, but by the end of the round, it had really become comical, so joining in the laughing was easy. And as I say, it was the highlight of my round of golf today - smiling and laughing with friends.

I must confess that too often I'm far too serious, just ask my wife. But laughter feels good and I believe there are studies that indicate a health component to it as well. I find as I grow older that I long for more of it. Maybe I've realized that it's one of the more desirable things life has to offer. In a world where pain and suffering are the norm on the evening news, it becomes pretty obvious.

So today, instead of just knocking the dust off my clubs and reminding myself that I'm not a great golfer, I got an unexpected gift - the gift of laughter.

Oh yeah, and new nickname.....just call me ricochet.

Peace.......