“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.”
(Unknown)

One way to tell you’re improving as a golfer is how you see the water hazards. Golf course designers don’t use water much as an actual obstacle, but rather as a distraction from the real target. You know you’re getting better when, as you take aim at the green, you don’t even see the water.

Adulthood’s not nearly that simple, but there’s a lesson in here somewhere. You know you’re getting better at this adult thing, for instance, when a minor disagreement doesn’t distract you from an overall healthy view of your marriage. Or when a pre-teen’s outburst doesn’t derail you from pursuing a calm, and eventually, calming, position next to her. Even seemingly obvious obstacles, like losing a major client at work, don’t have to become insurmountable hurdles.

These only become obstacles when when you focus solely on them. But if you can pardon my cheesy sports reference, staring only at the water ignores the other main reason golf course designers put them on a course: it actually makes the entire hole, and experience, more beautiful.

(For instance, check out this pic I was lucky enough to take last year. A free signed ScreamFree Parenting book goes to the first two golf nuts who can tell me where this is.)

Peace,