My Back 9

Have you ever said to yourself, “ How much more can one person handle ?” Or maybe, “ How much capacity do I really have ?” Do you sometimes feel that the magnitude of your circumstances are just too much too bear? Do you feel that your life has become so complicated and the hole so deep that the light at the end of the tunnel has become unrecognizable? Well, if you have ( or have had ) these feelings of despair, you are certainly not alone. Most people have these feelings at some point in their lives, especially those of us facing mid life difficulties. Children growing up, parents aging, people in our lives dying, career changes, financial difficulties, relationship difficulties; just to name a few. The bottom line is that everyone has a story, and everyone deals with pain and hardship. The real question becomes, “ How do we deal with it ?” To dive even deeper, “ Are we even built to deal with it ?” I was having lunch with the pastor of my church a few weeks back, and we talk...

OK…let’s start with a show of hands, “How many of you fine folks out there know that it is Earth Day tomorrow?” My assumption would be that only about thirty to forty percent of the people reading this blog actually knew that it was Earth Day. Don't sweat it if you didn't know, after reading this you will. If you were to ask me that same question just a few short years ago, I would have been in the population of folks who didn’t know, and quite frankly, didn’t care. But things are different for me now. Now I pay attention to these types of things. Now I pay attention to the environment, GREEN initiatives, and the overall wellness of our planet. Heck, I have five kids, and I’m sure some of them will have kids and the beat...hopefully...will go on and on. I certainly don’t want future generations of Caico’s living on a planet that is not safe. How about you? Earth Day, designated on April 22nd each year, is a day that has been designed to create and inspire awareness and ...

Indulge me, just for a minute if you will, and drift back into your memory bank to the exact moment where Dorothy ( of Kansas ) meets the Scarecrow ( of Oz ). You remember, right? She and Toto, without the aid of MapQuest or a navigation system, start out on their journey to the Emerald City after receiving very direct and poignant advice from the fine folks in Munchkinland. The Follow the Yellowbrick Road song is fading into the background, and low and behold, they come to a crossroads where this colorful road goes in two directions. Dorothy hears a voice, Toto goes crazy, and we anxiously await our introduction to this pivotal character, the Scarecrow. Our first image of this straw-filled, nervous-looking dude is of him with his arms pointed across his body, spouting out the words “this way.” Of course, he’s pointing in both directions, so Dorothy really doesn’t understand what he means. Why? Well, this fine fellow doesn’t have a brain. No brain? Really? I think not. If he didn’t ha...

Another year has gone by.....or should I say....another “not so good” year. I remember joking around with many friends and colleagues last year, coining the phrase, “hate the 08.” As I look back on 2009, logistically speaking, it wasn’t much different....or better than 2008. The economy is still in bad shape, unemployment is still very high, and many people are still in recovery mode.....trying to figure out what exactly happened to them over the last few years. For me, the latter part of the year has been much better....and things are finally starting to head in the right direction. All I can say is, “it’s about time.” :) I could go on and talk more about the negative aspects of the last two years, but those days are over for me. It’s just not productive to complain and/or talk about the negative aspects of your life. If you don’t believe me, remind me to tell you the story about the chicken and the pig the next time we talk. What is important is that you use these experiences as a fr...

It has been a few months since I last blogged, mostly due to the fact that nothing has really inspired me lately. I have had some more family challenges recently, with 2 of my sons spending time in the hospital. The first hospital visit was for my 9 year old son ( Alexander ) who had an appendectomy. He was a trooper, handled it like a champ, and was out in a few days. I think it was more difficult on his parents than it was on him. Nothing like the feeling of pain you have when your children are hurting. More recently, my oldest son AJ ( who has Autism ) has been admitted to hospital due to some unforeseen circumstances. This poor guy has been through many challenges over the years, and now the combination of adolescence, going back to school, and some other events just proved to be too much for him to handle. But an interesting thing is starting to occur as a result. I believe that he is really learning a lesson this time, and that he is truly starting to understand where he...

I really can’t let this week slip by without writing about Tom Watson’s performance at the British Open this past weekend. I still have a bit of a queasy feeling in my stomach over his second place finish, and I keep going back to the 18th hole; “If only his 7 iron would have stopped on the green….he would have won the tournament!!” At 59 years of age, he certainly defied the odds, and if he had won he would have been the oldest major champion ever.....by a stunning 13 years. An incredible feat from an incredible man that has surely recharged many of us “middle-aged” golfers. Especially those of us who have been watching Tom Watson play golf for so many years. I had such a horrible feeling when he didn't win, but I soon realized that golf is just a game. Watson’s own comment after the round helped me come to grips with this when he said, “this is not a funeral folks”. He’s right…and as I pondered this remarkable weekend experience, I couldn’t stop thinking about the connecti...

I just got finished reading one of the most incredible books I have ever read, and there is a force beyond my control that is typing these words right now. Heck, I don’t even know what I am going to say, but I can assure you it will have deep meaning for me. I hope it will for you. The book is entitled The Shack , by WM. Paul Young, and it was recommended to me by 2 of my closest friends. Their recommendations were served up within days of each other, and their individual places in my life are separated by many years. The first is an old and dear friend of mine from my college days. This person has been such a valuable and supportive friend to me over the years, and our relationship continues to grow. We met while I was a freshman in college and he was a senior. For some reason ( sports, beer, music, girls, etc.. .), we took a liking to each other and I was introduced to all of his friends, who were also seniors. Typically, in college, seniors do not hang out with freshman ( it’s just ...