No Fork

Some things are worth getting up and doing.  Our college wood bat baseball league held our third Celebrity Golf Tournament this weekend. A solid fundraiser, funds half a team. Baseball celebrities from near and far join the participants for dinner here at our house Sunday night, and then golf Monday at Interlachen. Davey Johnson, David and Rick Eckstein, Hunter Pence, Fred McGriff, Gary Carter, Mike Stanley, Jim Hickey, Tim Wakefield, etc... 25 of them.

The point I am making here is, the guys from the office did all the work. I did barely anything. Even Sunday to set up for the dinner (buffet catered totally by Flemings) I did so so so little, even napped for hours Sunday afternoon before the event.

Monday I was at the golf club in the morning, then drove to treatment, home to nap and then back to the golf club at the finish.  Mostly I sat and chatted with folks.

There was a neat moment. I almost didn't go back to the golf course Monday after my treatment and my several hour nap. I am so tired already, the technicians had me see the doctor because the radiation field is already swollen and reddish. The doc said he hadn't seen this much swelling and redness after only five treatments, but I should remember to keep an eye on it and tell them if it changes. REMEMBER? How could I forget that? And my tendons ache. Even when not moving. I lifted light stuff and was more active Sunday that any time in the past five weeks, which added to my aches. It is a huge effort to get up and get moving sometimes. I take Advils.

After the afternoon nap, I was having one of those internal conversations, I should get up, I don't want to, Oh this hurts, Don't whine it's temporary, R and S and all the guys are so good they don't need me, But I should help ... You have had these same conversations I know. I took a deep breath, jumped up from the sofa and off I troddled. Troddled. Excited to be seeing everyone again, these are one hundred twenty neat people, very energizing to be around all this new and different and bubbly. You know, when you force yourself to do something that stretches you, you are always rewarded with an adventure...

So I reach the golf course parking lot, and standing right there in the parking lot is a young baseball player, a Major League All Star, so good he was a top round draft pick.  A great young player. At last year's tournament we asked him to be one of five to speak at the Sunday night dinner and he did a great job. While waiting to speak, he was holding his plate of food, which was full. I asked him if he didn't like the food and he replied, I forgot to get a fork. I just looked at him, and he went on to say, I don't want to go back get one because I am going to speak soon and I don't want to make everyone wait for me. WOW.  Now that's a person who is not self-centered, don't you think?  You gotta love him.

So back to this year, returning to the clubhouse after my nap, picture this.  I had parked and got out of the car.  Here he is standing at the side of the parking lot.  Groan, I am sore. But I start walking to the clubhouse and walk right by him.  I say hello and stop to chat. I tell him how I remember that no-fork moment last year. I tell him that moment shows me he is a really good young man, that he gets what life is all about. He is one who helps out others. That I think his attitude was so cool.  I thank him for that. He just looks at me and doesn't say anything at first. For a few seconds. Like five seconds. Then he says, I really needed that right now. Really needed that. We talked for a few more minutes, but you get the gist.

That's why I was supposed to go back to the golf club, I think, even though I was tired. It was not about me. And maybe not even about the golf tournament.

There are conversations we all have, and we have no idea how others will be affected by them. How we are used by God is up to God. I need to be open to doing what He wants me to do, saying the words He gives me. I think mostly, we don't see the results of our words or actions. We don't need to.    I need to trust God knows what He's doing.
It's not about me.

PS photos by Jim Hogue