Tiger Woods stood before his peers, colleagues, and family today donning one of the most recognized symbols in all of sports....the green jacket awarded for winning the Masters.
Social media sites were flooded with congratulations from some of the biggest names in sports, politics, and entertainment. And for good reason, everyone loves a comeback story.
And while most pointed to the multiple surgeries that seemingly deteriorated Tiger's body over the past several years, I want to address the elephant in the room so that it can be eradicated once and for all....
Yes, Tiger overcame an aging body, but more importantly, he overcame the demons in his mind to once again stand tall as a winner....in life.
This is so much bigger than golf.
For those of us that are old enough to have watched Tiger's last win at the Masters, most if not all of us share a common bond.
We've messed up in life at one point or another.
Or worse yet, having our own bad decisions negatively impact someone else's life. The proverbial stray bullet hitting the innocent bystander.
To those of us that can relate, there is a tremendous amount of shame, guilt, and self-loathing that accompanies a fall from grace.
To those of us that subject ourselves to a higher power, it can be exponentially excruciating. There's no worse feeling than the feeling that we disappointed God, and to think that He wants nothing to do with us anymore.
That in itself can cause competent, confident, intelligent people to shrink into a funk, to believe that we blew our shot and the rest of our life is reserved for the never-ending hard hitting hand of Karma. Especially when those around us refuse to define us by our countless victories, but instead they focus on the few negative traits that make us all inherently human.
The feeling of going into a room of friends and loved ones, wondering if the two in the corner are gossiping about your situation. The empty feeling that know one knows or cares what you're going through.
So we self-medicate....with alcohol, work, drugs, sex, ect. A never-ending spiral into the abyss of what we once were or hoped to be.
Now take your problem and magnify it a million times over. I mean, after all, we're just subjected to the small group of people that know us.
Imagine being Tiger Woods, one of the most recognizable names and faces on the entire planet. Where can he go to find solace and solitude?
Nowhere but inside himself, but when you're broken, that in itself could be solitary confinement.
But even in that, to dust yourself off and try again when the masses say you're finished. Then to endure the jeers and criticisms of people who are rooting for you to lose.
People that once rooted for you.
Then to guard against the realization that your time may be over after numerous failed comeback attempts.
To standing on top of the mountain again as the winner of the biggest golf tournament in the world.
Do you realize how much self-belief and intestinal fortitude it takes to endure and withstand for that long before you reap your harvest again?
Those of us that have fallen and gotten back up do.
So we congratulate you, Tiger. But not for overcoming numerous back and knee surgeries. We tip our caps to you for standing toe to toe with a troublesome pothole in life and maneuvering your way to the finish line.
Something people from all professions can take with them forever.
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