I was very sad to hear the news of the death of Arnold Palmer earlier this week. He was an incredible golfer and an even more incredible human being. His greatest rival was Jack Nicklaus. The two men were different on so many levels. Arnold was older, larger, and less-sophisticated. He was blue collar and because of that made the sport of golf accessible to so many. Jack was far more precise and polished. Arnold would say that Jack played with his head while he played with his heart. They fought hard on the course; nothing was better than beating the other. And of course, nothing was worse than being beaten by the other. But, with all their competitive spirit, their differences in personality, age, style – they developed a close friendship that lasted until Arnold passed away.
They never lost their rivalry or their differences. Whenever they played for “fun” in the later years, it was still a fierce competition. They didn’t change who they were to try to erase the differences. They just chose to appreciate and care for the other.
That kind of example would go a long way in our lives and in our world. Choosing to appreciate and care for one another no matter what.
Thanks, Arnie – may you fully enjoy eternity in the presence of God and your loved ones, and rest easy knowing you made an incredible impact on this world, simply by the way you lived.
