old school

 

I met a great guy recently. We spoke about music and life and the fact that we were both, “Old School”. This got me thinking about what Old School really means. Am I Old School? I’ll let you decide but one thing is for sure…there is a difference in Old School and Old Fool. I have a 45 year track record on this earth and here are a few things that I’ve decided on. I like my Ozzy to be scary and not played in mainstream sporting arenas or elevators. I prefer my Pumpkins Smashed, Sister’s Twisted, Van’s Halened and not Hagared, my Motley’s Crued and Judas’s Priested. I know what it means to pay dues. I have a Master’s degree from the school of hard knocks and did not have a luxury ride to this point. I know that hard work and determination pays off, even when the task seems impossible at first. I’ve lived long enough to realize that I’m not always right and that it takes a big person to admit when they are wrong and to apologize. Only through adversity can a person ever understand the need for compassion. I also know that the only constant in life is change. The awesome places in life are not destinations but brief stops along the way. These traits might well make me Old School but the one thing I never want to be is Old Fool. Old fool applies to those who are stuck in their ways, elite, bitter, selfish and without any understanding of what it feels like to walk in other people’s shoes. This world doesn’t owe you or I anything but it offers lots of rewards if you’re willing to spend your time in pursuit of them. The great game of golf can be a reflection of life. If you give up just because it’s hard, you’ll never know what it feels like to hit it in the sweet spot. Practice and effort are their own reward and the payoff is obvious to those who apply themselves. I’ve always said that it’s impossible to become a really good golfer or Long Driver without putting in an almost uncomfortable amount of time working at it. I once knew a guy who was a pretty natural athlete and to hear him describe it, he broke 90 the first time he played a round of golf. In all reality, as it turns out, this guy didn’t exactly tell the whole truth. When he started, he didn’t even know how to keep score and he became a golf addict as soon as he started. This guy spent as many as 7 days per week on the course, sometimes 2 rounds per day for several months. Defining a golf game or swing isn’t unlike a diet. If you stick to the plan and stay committed, it’s going to be hard to not offend people along the way. I’ve had my struggles with weight and I come from a family of great cooks. It seems like every time I’ve been disciplined with my eating, a loved one will have a fresh made cake, cookies or homemade ice cream. It’s painful to decline sweets, especially when they are from a person who expresses love through cooking and baking. It can be equally painful to hear someone ask…are you going to the range again…didn’t you already go this week? This brings to mind the issue of time travel. If you’re a younger person reading this post, the next few words apply to you. This is the future talking to you and I’ve been sent back in time to speak to you. I know that when you’re dating, you want to put the best foot forward and deny the obvious. My advice would be that if you have a true passion in life, whether it’s golf, art, music or anything else, don’t deny or suppress it in order to appear more appealing to your date. If you play golf or hit the range several times per week, it’s better to allow a future mate to see the real you and understand your passions. Allowing a person to see the real you makes life together more honest and less full of false expectations. There should be room in life more more than one passion and there’s no need for jealousy when others understand your heart and desires. There’s no excuse for avoiding your family or spending money that should be spent on other priorities but there’s also need for a guilt trip when you’ve taken care of work and family and then spend time on your passions. Your Old School might include an entire different generation of music and culture but Old School always beats Old Fool no matter how old you are.

 

Moby

Shark Attack Golf