Since it is summer and golf season, here is a writing I thought was really good:

The Special Gift
By Adel Guzzo

Sean was just a little kid, about eight years old. When I first met him one summer day he wore a Chicago Bulls cap and baggy shorts that needed a belt. He carried a bag stocked with four golf clubs and plenty of balls. Once when he took off his cap, I noticed he had no hair. He was a lot smaller than other kids his age. Still, he always seemed to be smiling whenever I would see him with his pals, trying his darndest to hit as far as they did.

I played with Sean once in a while. He told me that he always had the best chance when playing a par-3 because he could usually make it to the green.

A year or so passed and I hadn't seen Sean around the course. I had heard that his cancer was getting the best of him. Still, his friends said he was going to try to get out and play a few times before fall.

Sure enough, he was there the following week. My group went out just ahead of him. I noticed that one of his buddies was carrying Sean's bag. "Watch out!" I heard Sean tell his pals. "I feel kinda lucky today!"

Despite his words, Sean was having an awful time trying to drive the ball. He and his friends arrived at the last par-3. His friends had all hit, and Sean was up on the tee. He brought his club back and hit the ball as hard as his fragile body would allow. It flew up to the green and out of sight. One of his friends helped Sean walk up to the green. It was a tough walk because the green was higher than the tee. I could see Sean searching for his ball as he stopped to catch his breath.

Sean's buddies were looking for their balls behind the green. Out of the corner of my eye I saw one of his friends pick up Sean's ball and drop it in the hole. Then he ran and pretended to look for his own ball. He caught me staring at him and winked.

When Sean finally got to the green he was disappointed because he thought he hit over. Then he glanced in the hole. What a smile lit up his face! The boys looked at each other and said, "You can't tell me it's a hole-in-one!" "No way, Sean, that you put it in there!"

"No, really! Look!" he said. They all acted surprised and as I watched, I thought Sean looked like the happiest guy I had ever seen. I never saw Sean or his friends after that day. But it was then that I learned just what golf should be.

It's not about what score you get or how far you drive. It is about caring for the friends you play with and enjoying the time you have with them.

~~

True friendship is like sound health; the value of
     it is seldom known until it is lost.
          -- Charles Caleb Colton

~~

And two more comments from Karen's Korner readers on "finding my glasses":

From Mary Tesdahl:

"I thought it might be - God gives us blessings in unexpected places or we don't always take care of what God gives us, but we can always trust that God will take care of us..Thanks for stretching our thinking."

And from Dorothy Balder: