I see you
I suppose golf becomes selfish when we get so engaged with our own swing thoughts, our good shots, or our bad shots that we miss the relational part of the game. Normally, I watch The Golf Channel to learn how to hit a fairway bunker shot or to catch tournament highlights. To my surprise, I have become a big fan of David Feherty’s new show Feherty–a weekly opportunity for the sometimes crass, but clever CBS golf commentator to interview various characters in and out of the game. The show is not about golf, but about life–the joy and heartache that shadow any journey. Feherty is very open about his past and his struggles with addiction and as a result, his guests are seemingly more transparent. They know they are having a conversation with someone who doesn’t claim to have it all together.
When President Bill Clinton first sat down for the interview, Feherty’s first question was, So Mr. President I have to ask you, Why the hell are you here? (It’s hard to do it justice without the Irish accent). Like with any of his guests, Feherty made no effort to hide the fact that he felt very lucky to have the 42nd President on his show–a humble approach no doubt. During one segment, Clinton touched on this idea of humility as he reflected on some of his recent relief work in Africa. In particular, an observation he made about their culture’s unique way of greeting each other. He said, “The people there do not simply say, hello as they pass each other, but they say, I see you.” He went on to characterize this custom as the ultimate sign of dignity and respect–to really see someone–to notice them. How many people did I greet yesterday, but did not really notice? Too many.
What does it mean to view ordinary, everyday exchanges through a lens that suggests each person God puts in our path matters? This week I definitely needed a reminder to get over some of my own swing thoughts–maybe it’s idolizing wanting life to slow down, a failure to let go of work when I come home, or just too much focus on what I have to do next – needed a people thought.
