From The Storyteller
|
January 21, 2019 Golf Shoes
“I think I know why golf shoes have little spikes.” This is a statement that is not often made. Golfers know the reason, and non-golfers never think about it, with the exception of my beautiful bride. Her reasoning is clear and practical - the purpose of the spiked shoes is to aerate the grass on the putting greens. Her logic is flawless. Who am I to argue with my bride? We’re sitting in the church pew waiting for the service to start when one of our daughters (age 5) quietly asks if we could give her the menu. My quick response is, “We’ll see what’s for lunch after church”. She is silent for a few seconds then with a touch of frustration in her voice asks again. “After church” is my total response. Finally, with that 5 year old’s look of “How dumb are you” she points to the church bulletin in my hand, and I realize I’m holding the “menu”. Who am I to argue with a 5 year old? Our seven year old walks up to the picnic table and proudly holds up a feather she found. She is excited because she has found a “bird leaf”. Who am I to argue with a future naturalist? Golf shoes, menus, and bird leaves serve to highlight an important fact of life - the eye of the beholder matters. Yes, there are times when being factually correct is important, but most of the time there is no need to “correct” someone simply because they see things a little different than “everybody else”. By appreciating our differences we can enjoy the spirit of those we encounter, and when we do that smiles happen. Moral: The question, “Who am I to argue with that?”, has its place in building relationships. |