In honor of the Masters golf tournament, here is a putting green landscape I did in late 2018 (still need to fill in the flag but here it is).
For those who follow golf, or Tiger Woods (or both), he won today after an 11-year drought of winning major tournaments, and the joy for him was palpable.
I was moved by his win in particular because it represents a human being’s occasional ability to overcome inner demons (in this case, to win again after the humiliation of his train-wreck ending of his marriage 11 years ago).
Prior to his 2008 personal and then professional meltdown, he only knew victory, and displayed a towering arrogance that often accompanies those who win early and remain invincible. But after his then-wife discovered his multiple affairs (and crass text messages to several women) and chased him down his driveway, smashing the rear window of his car (with a golf club…), he began a downward spiral and the Great Humbling began.
There is something profound about sports stars who have famous collapses that then seem to haunt them in future contests (Greg Norman comes to mind — he was leading the Masters several different times and yet gave-away victory on the final afternoon each time; he won the British Open several times, and so at least buried the “never won a major” moniker).
The power of the mind to be haunted by the past is very real and it is inspiring when anyone succeeds in breaking those chains.
Congratulations Tiger Woods, it is heartening to see you free yourself.
“Shall I bring my own chains?
“We always do.”
From I Heart Huckabees, a truly extraordinary movie.
FocusedPleasure 