I had the chance this past weekend to play golf with a friend a grew up with - Jeff Leonard. We have been friends since Junior High and that was over 3 decades ago. I can't even begin to count the number of rounds and/or hours we have spent together on the golf course. Back in the day, as the saying goes, we were fairly even matched on the links - But not anymore.
I was soundly beaten yesterday and not for the first time either. You see Jeff was a collegiate golf champion and played on the PGA Tour for a year. We don't get a chance to be together very often because we live a ways apart. He now is the Executive Director for the First Tee Program in Tampa, Florida.
We shared a lot of stories and memories as we played together with our Dads as partners. That is one thing that is so awesome about golf - Sons and Dads playing together!
During the day, I was struck by the question, "Would we be friends if we just met or are we living in the past?" For me the answer was and is "yes!" but for a couple of reasons:
1) Our friendship was never just about golf, or euchre, or car chases, or spring break, or any number of things or events we shared together in the past. Granted all those things make for some great stories and points of connection, but there was more . . . which is my main point.
2) We are still friends and will remain because of that which we both have in common - We both love the Lord and are seeking ways to honor Him in our lives. This common ground will always keep us connected and is the bond of our friendship - whether that friendship be 3 decades old or 3 minutes old.
I hope you have friends like that. Friends that keep you grounded. Friends that you keep you connected to who you have been, who you are, and more importantly who you are striving to be. And if have a friend like that who also happens still enjoy playing golf with you even better - just make sure they give more than a few strokes a side!
Here's to the good old days and the new days yet to come.
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