Clearing Cobwebs
Spiders take a very long time to patiently build a web. Time and space is relative. So is success. The more success you have the more friends and relatives. The security at the building where I park my car in town had just asked me to pay up car park fees and I told them that I thought I had just paid up recently. Fortunately, I did not argue with them, checked and found out that indeed the last transaction was in July and now the last quarter was due. I mean, besides the pocket emptying out in double-quick time these days, time really flies.
Three months have gone by and it felt so recent. Soon, we'll be clearing cobwebs in our homes again as we normally do during spring cleaning for the Lunar New Year. If not for anything, at least it is symbolic. In the process, you will discover many things. Maybe an unopened gift still in its splendour with the wrappers on. Several keys in your drawers where you do not have the faintest idea what they were for and you may even try them on every key hole to no avail. You will almost definitely find some old photographs too which triggers your memory flooding back as you reminisce of the good old times. You find some loose coins which can't even get you into a public toilet today. You walk to the store room and you are immediately aghast to find so many golf clubs there realising that you are possibly sicker than you had originally thought.
Three months have gone by and it felt so recent. Soon, we'll be clearing cobwebs in our homes again as we normally do during spring cleaning for the Lunar New Year. If not for anything, at least it is symbolic. In the process, you will discover many things. Maybe an unopened gift still in its splendour with the wrappers on. Several keys in your drawers where you do not have the faintest idea what they were for and you may even try them on every key hole to no avail. You will almost definitely find some old photographs too which triggers your memory flooding back as you reminisce of the good old times. You find some loose coins which can't even get you into a public toilet today. You walk to the store room and you are immediately aghast to find so many golf clubs there realising that you are possibly sicker than you had originally thought.
Forgiving
Many of these old clubs were once thought of by you as forgiving, trendy and even effective and always found to be with you but have since been left in the dark, cold store room for some reasons. They could still be very good but your ideas and lifestyle have changed. Why don't you retrieve them, clean them up, give them another assessment if they are still good enough and perhaps put them back into play or at least some of the times when your other clubs don't seem to work as well.
Those that are completely decrepit may have to be discarded (don't just throw them into a Salvation Army bin unless it is still of use). Give some away to friends. You see, these clubs are like old friends who may come to your rescue when you least expect it. I know some of you are already playing with the most sophisticated and highly forgiving clubs and yet you have struggled. Be patient. Forgive yourself. If you can't forgive yourself, you can't forgive others. Some good rounds are due and just around the corner. Forgiving clubs are valued because they are easy to deal with. So are people.
Those that are completely decrepit may have to be discarded (don't just throw them into a Salvation Army bin unless it is still of use). Give some away to friends. You see, these clubs are like old friends who may come to your rescue when you least expect it. I know some of you are already playing with the most sophisticated and highly forgiving clubs and yet you have struggled. Be patient. Forgive yourself. If you can't forgive yourself, you can't forgive others. Some good rounds are due and just around the corner. Forgiving clubs are valued because they are easy to deal with. So are people.
Clearing Cobwebs
Clearing cobwebs around the house can be tiring but rewarding towards the end but this is the easy part. Clearing cobwebs in our minds and souls - ah, that is a different kettle of fish. We clean our houses, cars, bodies and golf clubs but how about a spring cleaning and clearing of cobwebs in our minds and souls including of course your attitude towards the game of golf. Forgive everyone who has offended and wronged you (even if it is very difficult), forgive the guys who sold you the wrong clubs, forgive the fellows who won your money at the golf course, write off some debts if you can afford it.
It is said that it is not your fault if a person betrays you once but it really is your fault if the same person betrays you a second time. Forgiving that person does not mean you have to buy him lunch or trust him again. It is just about letting go. If Tiger throws his club and got you angry, forgive him. If after that someone mentions Tiger before he could say beer and you get all "rad" and fuming, you have failed the test. You can toss and turn in bed, lose your sleep and lose your appetite over somebody or something or what someone said, the only one suffering is you. Prolong it and you may get hit with illness. Let it go, clobber a ball with a mighty club if you wish.
It is said that it is not your fault if a person betrays you once but it really is your fault if the same person betrays you a second time. Forgiving that person does not mean you have to buy him lunch or trust him again. It is just about letting go. If Tiger throws his club and got you angry, forgive him. If after that someone mentions Tiger before he could say beer and you get all "rad" and fuming, you have failed the test. You can toss and turn in bed, lose your sleep and lose your appetite over somebody or something or what someone said, the only one suffering is you. Prolong it and you may get hit with illness. Let it go, clobber a ball with a mighty club if you wish.
The Next Lap
Going forth, I must confess that sometimes walking down wooden stairways, I could really hear the boards creaking. Strangely enough, the creaking continues when I have already proceeded to solid cemented platforms. That is when I realised that the creaking sound could be from my knees. Hey, I thought it was just not so long ago that that I was brimming with energy and playing all kinds of sportsman's games. It was only in June that I made a third comeback for soccer and I enjoyed it. Each time it was a struggle and then it got better. Mark Lawrenson of Ireland and Liverpool was a top class defender but when Paul Walsh (at the time an upcoming star who later joined Liverpool) of Luton Town whizzed around him a couple of times in that game, he realised and decided soon after to hang up his boots.
Even if we were to train and then get into soccer games, the adventure could easily turn into a misadventure simply because we do not know the conditions we are in and we are not accustom to the pace especially of a soccer game where you are required to make many stops, starts and dashes. 20 years seems like 2 years ago and 2 years was like 2 months and when you go into a game you say OK, I'll just play a relax game but when playing you'll soon forget that and you go into challenges, make a dash for the loose ball, etc. and that's when you are headed for unknown territory. The last time I did that, I thought I saw angels beckoning me home at times. Unless you have been a regular weekend player for the last 10-20 years, it is a good idea we stick to Xbox soccer. Even those who do ought to know their age, body and condition. Go get your FIFA Soccer from EA Sports or Winning Eleven from Konami (which is my preference for their very realistic feel - almost like being there) which is also known as Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). That's my team scoring with Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo. Solid!!
But then again, you'll have people saying that people suffer heart attack while playing golf, washing car or even sitting down too. Some happened alone at home which could be worse. Well, we just managed what we can with informed decision and leave the imponderables to the Creator. We have to learn to accept our limits going into the next lap or for that matter every each lap. This cardio problems are also happening to younger people these days. So let's decide to be happy first, always, come what may.
Veterans' Soccer - A Tribute To Dollah Kassim
Ali Bakar died playing here few years back. S. Rajagopal whom I have met sometimes had a heart attack 2 years back. I think if you asked them, most when available will turn up but they should consider stopping such curtain raisers in future. We now have Dollah Kassim fighting for his life. I have seen him around Hougang and also at election rallies. Dollah is such a nice and affable person.
Not the fastest or strongest player around even during his prime, Dollah would outfox his opponents each time with superior vision, thinking, timing, exquisite skills and his unique style of dribbling which was why he is known as the "gelek" king. Every time he lined up for a free kick at the edge of the box, he raised your expectation and it was like an 80-90% chance of a goal.
I will never forget one goal he scored against Pahang in a Malaysia Cup game. Approaching goal, Dollah turned a defender to his left. As the defender was mid-way changing his direction, Dollah pulled the ball back at his feet. He feinted a shot to the right causing another defender scurrying back to try a lunging block only to be left sliding on his backside. At this point the goalkeeper came rushing out and as he did so, Dollah feinted a shot to his left forcing the goalie to commit a dive only to do so with red faces clutching thin air as the ball was still glued to Dollah's feet who then calmly slotted it into an empty goal with 3-4 opponents scattered on the ground - all on their behinds.
I think this is one of the greatest goal I have ever seen! Nobody, absolutely no one could create or replicate a goal like that. No way. He has given much joy and brought so much delightful moments of ecstacy to soccer fans. He was in a magical team and very much part of our lives those days. In this critical moment of his life, I urge everyone - soccer fans or not to keep Dollah and his family in your prayers.
Not the fastest or strongest player around even during his prime, Dollah would outfox his opponents each time with superior vision, thinking, timing, exquisite skills and his unique style of dribbling which was why he is known as the "gelek" king. Every time he lined up for a free kick at the edge of the box, he raised your expectation and it was like an 80-90% chance of a goal.
I will never forget one goal he scored against Pahang in a Malaysia Cup game. Approaching goal, Dollah turned a defender to his left. As the defender was mid-way changing his direction, Dollah pulled the ball back at his feet. He feinted a shot to the right causing another defender scurrying back to try a lunging block only to be left sliding on his backside. At this point the goalkeeper came rushing out and as he did so, Dollah feinted a shot to his left forcing the goalie to commit a dive only to do so with red faces clutching thin air as the ball was still glued to Dollah's feet who then calmly slotted it into an empty goal with 3-4 opponents scattered on the ground - all on their behinds.
I think this is one of the greatest goal I have ever seen! Nobody, absolutely no one could create or replicate a goal like that. No way. He has given much joy and brought so much delightful moments of ecstacy to soccer fans. He was in a magical team and very much part of our lives those days. In this critical moment of his life, I urge everyone - soccer fans or not to keep Dollah and his family in your prayers.
No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men is a great movie by the Coen brothers - Joel and Ethan which won four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor in Javier Bardem. It was a supercharged, gripping and sizzling action-thriller. A man stumbled upon a crime scene and a truck loaded with heroin and two million dollars in cash. His decision to take the money set off unstoppable violence. An unique point of the story-telling to me was that the sheriff and the crook never met almost the entire time. Javier's portrayal of a psychotic killer was simply first class. Back to old men.....
I receive some tips from friends (author - unknown) but may be worth a read. From 40, everything is doing downhill. Take the below with a pinch of salt.
1. Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.
2. Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and the few healthy years you have left... Travel if you can afford it. Don't leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may even cause more trouble when you are gone.
3. Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.
4. Enjoy your grandchildren (if blessed with any) but don't be their full time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit any one's kids, including your own grand kids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs.
5. Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow.
6. Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you don't have them, it's probably too late.
7. Enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren and friends. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself, not for what you have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.
8. Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul.
9. Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life with the Almighty.
10. Be at peace with your Creator. For ..... He is all you have after you leave this life.
Alright, let's clear our cobwebs and start on a clean slate. Just like your golf, play it hole by hole. Start on a clean slate at every hole. Don't let the last hole's disaster affect you, the last hole was like so yesterday right? The hole after the current hole is like tomorrow. So, just focus on the current hole which is today. Every hole is a new hole in golf just as everyday is a new day in life. The obstacles to the hole are the obstacles in our lives. Just watch out for those @#$! stray balls and @#$! golfers! A friend told me he saw a poster at a pub: "Everyone wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die". If lightning strikes a foursome on the green, you may find yourselves registering for 18 holes at the clubhouse with Saint Peter at The Pearly Gates. Golf is a dangerous game.
Alright, let's clear our cobwebs and start on a clean slate. Just like your golf, play it hole by hole. Start on a clean slate at every hole. Don't let the last hole's disaster affect you, the last hole was like so yesterday right? The hole after the current hole is like tomorrow. So, just focus on the current hole which is today. Every hole is a new hole in golf just as everyday is a new day in life. The obstacles to the hole are the obstacles in our lives. Just watch out for those @#$! stray balls and @#$! golfers! A friend told me he saw a poster at a pub: "Everyone wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die". If lightning strikes a foursome on the green, you may find yourselves registering for 18 holes at the clubhouse with Saint Peter at The Pearly Gates. Golf is a dangerous game.
Take care always! Ciao!
Comments