WWW 6: Courage

I've heard many times that if you're serious about being a writer, you'll treat it like any other job. So, this week, I've made a resolution to have writing be my summer job. I'd show up at 10, work until about 5, and see what I've got. So far the plan's going reasonably well, but not quite as I've predicted. Somehow, I've subconsciously taken up the late shift. My hours now start around 10 PM and go as late as 4 in the morning. I'm happy with the work I'm getting done, yet I'm a little upset that it's at the expense of my normal sleeping hours. But art is a mysterious force. This script I'm working on is an odd creature: it consumes my mind, it's hard to see what the future will be, and it keeps me up at night. Script, I have enough women in my life that do that to me, thank you very much.



But I'd like to talk a little bit about Tiger Woods. If you missed any bit of the US Open this weekend, I'm sorry. You missed what will go down as one of the greatest and most gut-filled performances of all time.

Here's a disclaimer, I'm a huge Tiger Woods fan. I have been for almost 10 years. I had his records posted on my wall in my old bedroom. I always wear red on Sundays when he's in contention. My screenname on AIM is a play on his Tiger Slam victory in 2001 at the Masters. Am I biased as to what happened this weekend? Yes. But am I amazed? Yes.

In April, Tiger underwent knee surgery and didn't play until last week's US Open. There was much speculation about how hurt he was. I personally thought his knee would be fine. It was revealed today the extent of Tiger's injuries while playing the US Open. His ACL was torn and he had two stress fractures in his left Tibia. His doctor had recommended that he have "6 weeks of inactivity" a couple of weeks before the US Open. If a doctor told me to be inactive for 6 weeks, I'd take it as a cue to be as lazy as I want to be. "Oh, you need someone to help you move? Sorry, doctor said 6 weeks of inactivity. I know, that was 8 weeks ago, but my leg's still kinda sore."

Tiger goes "I'm playing in the US Open, and I'm going to win it." Now, I'm sure that tid-bit wouldn't have come out if Tiger didn't make those putts on the 18th hole on Sunday and Monday to extend the tournament, but still, that takes a supreme level of confidence.

I have a deeply held belief that putting yourself out there, risking everything, and embracing what can be scary is the only way to find the greatest places in your life. Tiger would never make it seem this way, but I'm sure with his knee audibly rattling, the prospect of injuring himself even worse, and the prospect of risking all of that and losing: it was scary. And hard. But he embraced the scary, and he ended up with what he calls his "greatest victory."

In an interview earlier this year, Tiger Woods said that "every day is a chance to get better." He wasn't just talking in a golf context. He was talking in a life context. Every day is a gift given to us, and if we take advantage, it's a chance to become a better person, a harder worker, a better friend. It's a chance to face our fears and let go of our anxieties. It's a chance to start living the life we've always dreamed of.

I know, you're probably just thinking "Jeez, it's just a golf tournament. There are so many more important things in the world." And you'd be right. But watching this golf tournament, I saw that creed put into action, and it gave me hope. And that should be worth something.

Or maybe he is just another man dressed in silly clothes chasing a small white ball around. This weekend he just did it on one leg.