An Amazing Moment

An Amazing Moment--

Amazing moments arrive unannounced.  They simply appear.  Out of nowhere.  Often in the most unlikely places.  Having an open spirit to recognize them is necessary or else they will pass by as quickly as they arrived.

Golf courses are beautiful places.  Beautifully groomed.  Water, trees, long expanses of mowed grass.  The perfect place to think.  To meditate.  To be grateful.  Those playing the courses with heavy bags full of golf stuff hanging on their backs probably have another view.  They see the fairways, the greens, the hazards.  They see handicaps and par.  Guess it all depends on the cart or the walk.

While my grandson was walking and planning his next move on the course, I was driving a golf cart.  I was the water girl.  The encourager.  The Snicker candy bar lady.  It was all great fun.  And during that ride around the course, I had one of those amazing moments in time.

A father was doing the same as I.  Riding along as his son walked and played the course.  We introduced ourselves and began our 18 hole journey.  Around the third hole our conversation took a turn I would never have expected.  Most conversation at sporting events center around the players and the game itself.  This conversation became deep and wonderful.

Around that third hole the father asked me what advice or suggestions I would give him for the rest of his life.  He is in his early 50's.  Very successful businessman.  However, I could tell there was a searching in his life.  He wanted to make sure he did this life right.  Didn't miss out on the important things in the hurry to make a living.  My comments included slowing down, being grateful, developing a gracious attitude toward life and others, practing grace at all times.  Seeing the flowers in ditch banks instead of the cement that stretches out before us as we travel highways.  Stuff like that.

He was very thoughtful as we spoke about life being short.  At one point he quoted scripture.  Book, chapter, verse.  Of course, I asked if he was a minister.  He replied no, but that he was giving serious thought to selling his business and joining ministry.  I could see him in that role, that calling.  He had a gentle spirit that brought others into conversation.

And from that moment we began a discussion that lasted the rest of the 18 holes.  Between shots we discussed parables.  Were they literal?  Did they actually happen?  He asked me what I thought.  I replied that parables are stories meant to teach or drive home a point.  That I didn't think it was important whether they actually happened or not.  What was important was the lessons they teach.  And that every person hearing them will get what they need from them.  They might have happened or they might not.  That really wasn't the point.  I knew he had a more literal view of the Bible yet we both were interested in what the other had to say.

We talked about Adam and Eve.  Did I believe they were real people?  What about heaven and hell?  Deep questions one would not expect to address as the players addressed the ball.  I asked him what he believed on many of the things we discussed.  And like me, there were times when answers were not easy.  A few times I had to say that I didn't know.  Hadn't formed a thought about a particular question we were discussing.  What about Noah and the flood?  Was Jesus God?  Did Jesus die for sins of the people?

The beautiful thing about this day was our willingness to share our thoughts and beliefs.  No criticism of the other.  I was aware that we were very far apart in our beliefs.  Yet, we were able to share from our own experiences.  Toward the end of our 18 hole journey, I asked him if he believed that everything happens for a purpose.  He answered yes.  So, I asked what the purpose of our meeting was.  What did it mean to him?  As with other questions posed during the few hours, he was quiet for a bit.  Then he said he didn't know. What did I think was the purpose?  So we had a little talk about that.

When our time was over, I thanked him for a wonderful discussion.  I told him it was not often that strangers meet and immediately delve into the deeper things in life.  How much I enjoyed our conversation.  And that I hoped whatever he decided, he would know in his heart that it was the right place for him.  I put out my hand to shake his.  He walked to me and gave me a hug instead.  It was a special moment.  I am fairly sure our paths won't cross again.

How grateful I am that I was listening closely to his first question.  That  first question took us on a path of sharing that does not often occur.  I am thankful that we smiled and laughed and shook our heads at one another over answers that were not our own.  There was no pointing out faults because our beliefs were not exactly the same.  Instead there was a coming together with the same belief that all people are precious.  That when we see need, it is our duty and responsibilty to reach beyond ourselves and offer help.  That the world needs a huge dose of grace.

Amazing moments do happen.  They are doors we can look through, or openings we can walk through.  Walking through them means we open ourselves to whatever is on the other side.  Of course we don't want to walk through all doors, but when one that has the potential to open us to new thoughts appear, why not race through?  Why not put fear aside? Why not listen with a caring ear?  Why not give ourselves the opportunity to say aloud to another traveler what we believe?

I was blessed by this man and his conversation.  We are both travelers moving through life trying to make sense of it all.  We are both aware that we are learners.  Neither of us have the key to life.  Neither of us have all the answers.  But, we shared the important questions of life.  On a golf course.  On a summer day.  A moment in time.