Golf

I have spoken in this space about my Memphis Family. My Son has taken his space, as well. I talk about the love of my life my wife and her angelic Mother. I tell of my love for my parents and even take time to talk about others who move me. For some reason I have omitted a very special group of people. There are 5 others that I could write about for ages. These guys are my brothers in crime. We all have them they are the people in your life that know where the body is buried. They are the people if all else fails you know without a double one call and they are by your side for as long as needed.

I was playing golf yesterday with 3 or the 5. As one of them was hitting his tee shot I was taken back to a trip we made together well over 35 years ago to Myrtle Beach South Carolina. We were what they call young flat bellies and we were all away from home and I can’t tell you how much fun we had that trip. As he hit his shot watching him struggle to bend off the get his tee we all laughed about how we have all changed. We used to be winners of a lot of this kind of one day tournaments. Now we are always in the also played group. But I can guarantee no one on the course has more fun.

Earlier this year there is an annual trip that another group of guys get together. They would almost pay our way to go as long as they got to hang around, what I have to believe they think are, crazy people. One of the other guys on the trip actually told us he comes on the trip just to see what one of us says, or does, so he can go back and tell about it! One of the rounds we were all playing together, a stipulation we put in the rules for one day, and it started to rain. We, by the grace of God, were right next to a rain shelter so we pulled under it and began to visit. One of the guys lives out of town, and has for quite a while. So we really enjoy the time we spend together on this trip. We gathered under this shelter and relived a lot of the moments that shaped our lives together. At one point we brought up a story about one of the many Fathers and when the story was finished as we all laughed uncontrollably a clap of flash of lighting and a clap of thunder pounded down on us. We all sat there stunted as this was really close. The guys whose father we were talking about suddenly comes out with good lord dad we were only kidding. We all fell out again.

As I think about these guys I know what has to happen. I am going to try to give each of them a place of their own here in my little archive of my thoughts. So I will start with this general story and then go on to try to introduce you to the most impressive set of friends a man could ever be blessed with. From boys to men the things we endured together have been many from marriages, divorces, death of parents and siblings. The birth of children and the raising of them and all the trails that comes with that exercise. I have lunch with one of them about every 10 days. We sit and solve each other’s problems and listen to each other’s dreams and tell each other we will get there one day. I think we offer each other hope from a source that we think is different than our family. And I feel like everyone needs hope. He is a special guy and will be the subject of the nest story for sure.

So I guess I am hoping you have guys or Gals like this is your life. People who have been in your life for over 50 years and know you like no one else simply because they understand your changes because they lived them with you. They get everything that makes you tick and the things that might be frustrating to others they understand and give you a pass on. I know this Blessed Man has lived a charmed live with these people in it and I hope I can share them with you soon.

Peace,

The Blessed Man