Not Special

Humbling few days this past weekend as the Leathersich boys finished dead last in the Squirrel Run flight at the Vesper Invitational Member Guest 4Ball. We got absolutely trounced.

Nothing like taking a few days off of work, playing 6 golf rounds in the baking sun, grinding over 3 footers, having 47 transfusions, and then having the pleasure of an extra 5 hours in Boston Logan to really let the Sunday Scaries marinate.

Absolute carnage at the airports too. Delayed for 5 hours in Boston, and then mountains of luggage in SLC after I landed – absolute pandemonium trying to find my clubs in the oversized.?People were literally fist-pumping after finding their luggage. Screaming to family members "Over here!" like they had just found gold.

Thanks a lot, Microsoft!

This weekend really opened up the scope of the world to me. No, not from a cultural/spiritual standpoint or anything like that - but really just the size/scope of how many f*ckin people there are in this world.

To start, yes we got our asses kicked, and yes it was quite humbling. A wake-up call in a certain sense.?

During those 5 hours waiting in terminal E, I got to reflect (as I try to do weekly), and I came to a conclusion of ...uhh.. what's the opposite of a silver lining?

What I found most interesting, was the wake-up call itself. AKA getting absolutely rolled by the middle-aged men of the greater Middlesex County. Some of these guys had frames like you've never seen. Truthfully didn't even get how they could swing a club.

Why was this such a revelation you ask?

Because amongst my friends, I’m usually the best golfer. Amongst my small group of guys who play the local PC muni. Reflecting on this, it's literally a group of 10 people max.

My handicap ranges from about 1 to 3 in the summer - which lands somewhere in the 96th percentile. (Yes I looked it up)

Usually when I play against people - I give them strokes to make it fair.?

But in this tournament, on the other hand, I was getting strokes in most of the matches. AKA everyone else was a scratch or + handicap.

It quickly makes you realize - there really are levels to it.?

As there really are levels in most things. Sports, business, wealth, etc.

You may be the best player at your local club, or the top closing rep in your regional branch, or the wealthiest guy in your town, but in the grand scheme of things, there are thousands of people exactly the same or better than you.?

Hate to say it, but it's true.?(a real kick in the pants for me too)

It makes you wonder how good you really have to be to be the best at something.

And how far you want to / can take the definition of best?

Best at your local club? Best at your company? Best in the country? Best in the world?

Who knows.

There are thousands of country clubs, thousands of companies, and a whole lot of rich people out there.

Regardless of all that - this weekend, I felt like a little fish.

I'm not entirely sure why.

To some extent, I think it's because we're all raised to feel special. Our parents think we should be the starting shortstop, or think our coach is an idiot for not playing us, when in reality, maybe we're just not as good as we thought. Maybe there are hundreds of people out there with the exact same skillset.

I think a little wake-up call is good. ?

Because you may feel special to yourself, but sometimes in the grand scheme of things – we're in fact.. not really that special at all.

In fact 99.999% of us are really just.. average run-of-the-mill Joe's.

So what am I trying to say?

Not entirely sure. But I think it's something about perspective - and having/gaining one.

We can all get so caught up in the day-to-day rat race of trying to be the top rep on our team, or at our company, or whatever it is - that sometimes we can lose perspective of how vast the sea of people out there really is, and that what we're doing isn't really making that big of an impact/significance.

Sometimes it's important to reflect and think about what differentiates us, what makes us happy, and ask what we are really chasing in our daily pursuits.

I apologize for getting a little pessimistic/cynical this week -- but after an absolute sh*tshow of a travel day, the last thing I wanted to do was sit down and write - and as you can see, I'm not taking the last place finish well.

Something more in-depth next week!