MIDWEEK MESSAGE – November 4, 2020

Life’s lessons come in many different shapes and sizes and often from sources we would never consider as a source for spiritual growth. One such source for me was from a golf movie. I do not play golf – I tried but it wasn’t for me.

However, when I saw the movie, “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, I felt a spiritual experience that was right “up there” with some other more traditional ones. The movie is based on the Bhagavad-Gita.

In the Gita, the troubled warrior Arjuna receives instruction from Krishna, Supreme Lord of the Universe, who has assumed human form as Arjuna’s charioteer. In the movie, instead of a troubled warrior, it’s a troubled golf champion (Ranulph Junah); instead of his charioteer, it’s his caddie Bagger Vance.”

Robert Redford, the director said, ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance’ is not just a golf story. It’s about a character who loses his authentic swing and has to find it again. And in that sense, it’s universal because we all lose our swing in one way or another at some point in our lives. We’re all tested by adversity and I suspect that all of us have at times hoped for someone like Bagger to come along and help us through.”

After seeing the movie, I wished I had someone like Bagger to teach me. The truth, however, is now I have. I have been blessed with good friends, sponsors, therapists, husband, and ministers who have come into my life to guide me at a time I really needed someone to remind me to “find my true swing (why I am here) and without them, my life would be quite different.

I believe God does not leave us to maneuver this game called life without the help of others – they show up sometimes as a caddy, but they can also be the person you meet sitting on a bus. The point is to be aware and to know we are not alone on this journey of life.

Quote of the Week

“Yep… Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing… Somethin’ we was born with… Somethin’ that’s ours and ours alone… Somethin’ that can’t be taught to ya or learned… Somethin’ that got to be remembered… Over time the world can, rob us of that swing… It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas… Some folk even forget what their swing was like…”
Bagger Vance in the “Legend of Bagger Vance”.