This may seem a little silly. Stick with me.
It’s a hot, sunny day. Macho Man Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior are playing a round of golf. In full makeup and “ring attire” they are in a heated battle on the links. Their outfits can be seen from outer space.
And let it be known that there is great irony to their names.
On the fourth tee, The Ultimate Warrior slices his shot deep into the woods. He erupts into a fury.
“That was SUPPOSED to go down the middle! That SHOULD have set up my next shot perfectly! I spend all of this time and money on golf lessons and these clubs and THAT is the kind of shot I get?!? I hate this game!”
He continues to steep while Macho Man Randy Savage sets up his shot.
THWACK!
Macho Man’s shot veers left. Far left. The report from it’s collision with a tree wakes an infant in the next town.
He lets out an exhale. A small grin emerges. The two ridiculously-dressed warriors begin walking toward their next shots.
The Ultimate Warrior is still fuming about his shot. He’s rigid in his expectations about where the ball was supposed to go, how it should have flown. He’s defensive. He gives excuses for what happened. He gets even more frustrated.
Meanwhile, Macho Man gets curious. He’s not concerned about his missed shot. He’s wondering what is possible with the next one. He even feels excited by the challenge. “I wonder … how is THIS shot going to play out?” He snaps into a Slim Jim as he enters the woods.
On the other side of the fairway, The Ultimate Warrior finds his ball. Surprisingly he has a straight, clear shot to the green. It’s not as bad as he imagined.
But he’s unaware of his good fortune because he’s still stuck in the past of what should have happened and how things were supposed to be.
He absent-mindedly grabs a club and fires away. The orb rattles around the trees like a pinball. The Ultimate Warrior splits his purple spandex with rage. His makeup runs.
Macho Man focuses on his own game. He embraces the situation. It’s a tough lie. He envisions a shot that threads the tree canopy and makes a dramatic arc — the ball landing a few feet from the hole.
He takes a deep breath as he sets up over the ball. Sweat emerges beneath his enormous Swatch sunglasses. His feather boa sways gently in the wind. He’s fully committed to the shot. He takes the swing. That “bionic” sound effect comes out of nowhere.
KA-PLOW!!
The ball miraculously emerges from the trees and starts its slow fade towards the green. He thunders to the fairway for a better view.
Could this really be happening? Could it be?
PLUNK!
The ball drives itself deep into the sand yards away from the pin.
Macho Man laughs and lets out his signature, “OOOOOOOOOOOOH YEAH!!!” Birds take flight. He walks towards the green with a smile.
He trusts the ball will go in the hole. Eventually. He is fully committed to the game but never forgets that it is just a game.
Now let’s put aside the silliness for a moment…
Consider that ALL of this is a game. Can you be playful, curious — whimsical even — and still be fully committed? Or will you lose yourself and miss opportunities while stuck in the expectation of how things should be?
This is your game — the only one you’ve got. How will you play?
Now — that doesn’t seem so silly after all.
Tripp
Note: All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real pro wrestlers, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
