Finishing our Rounds

It could be said to be the longest round of golf ever, but any attempt to make light of what happened to the unexpected golfer, who was struck by a car on the 18th hole seven months ago, is not appreciated. When the drug-induced driver careened down the cart path and sent the golfer flying 30 feet, breaking his femur, both knee caps and damaging countless other pats of his body, a life-long challenge presented itself. First, there were the four surgeries, then months of physical therapy (which will continue for many more months), not to mention the lasting mental and spiritual trauma he continues to suffer. But the man returned to the 18th hole the other day, and, surrounded by friends, completed his round.

The story moved me on many levels. Obviously, it is a remarkable story of tragedy, recovery, and perseverance, but it also serves as a vivid reminder that we, too, are called to finish our rounds.

Examples of people living their lives only to have those lives disrupted are endless. Whether it’s the man who’s told to gather his things as he enters the place he’s worked for 23 years, the child whose seizure on the playground reveals the presence of a brain tumor, the student kicked out of college after what he thought was a harmless prank, or spouse who finds out his/her spouse has been unfaithful, life can hit us at the knees . . . and hips, shins, head and heart.

The question is, what will we do then? Rarely are we in such places by choice, but we can choose what we do from then on. Tragedies are chapters, not entire stories. We may let them define us, allow others to focus only on the one chapter, but there's more to us than any one moment. In fact, some of the most amazing moments in people’s lives come after tragedies. Like the golfer, recovery takes longer than we would like, costs more than we can afford, and often leaves scars that last a lifetime. But, in the end, we’re called to finish our rounds.