Happy Gilmore

Today started off swimmingly when I took my dog to the river and he preceded to bulldoze right into the water (no pun intended.) I've been trying for weeks to get him used to the water and not to be afraid to get in it, and finally this morning, he plunged right in without my usual boot for encouragement...... *sigh* Anyway, it is a sleepy slow day today. Thank goodness, too.

I started off the day watching Treasure Planet. That's right, "planet," not "island." It's a disney steampunk version of the original Treasure Island.  For some reason there's always one line that sticks in my head after watching it, when the cyborg pirate, Silver, asks the boy, Jim Hawkins, "Didn't yer pap eva' teach ya how ter pick yer fights?...."

Now I am sitting back, (yes, watching Another movie)... Happy Gilmore. A few years back, I went through an "adam sandler" phase, it was around the same time I went through my phase of watching "The Night At The Roxbury" every night, for at least a month. Adam Sandler movies are so ridiculous, but I like them because they're ridiculous. Now, I am not a big one for golf, but there's a few points to this movie that I like: you have to be serious if you want to get ahead AND you have to pick your fights. If you haven't seen this movie, it's about a wannabe pro hockey player that ends up with a natural talent for golf. And he ends up needing to use his natural talent so he can win money to buy his grandma's house back.

I don't have much in common with this movie, BUT as a kid, I had to hold in my temper, then as an adolescent, I had a quick temper... FOR EVERYTHING. I would get mad and I would Stay mad. I still have my moments, (good god, do I ever,) BUT I'm better about it now, and there are some things that don't amount to a hill of beans and just aren't worth getting wrapped around the axle about. Learning to control my temper, I have learned that it isn't so much learning to control myself, but coming to understand the things and the people and the situations around me that can "cause" me to snap. The more I learn about everything around me, the easier it is for me to see the importance of the moment; I gain better perspective.

The hardest part of this process for me to learn was (and still is) knowing that to gain perspective, I have to be able to step back/away/out of a situation to look at it from an outside viewpoint; and, that can be hard on anyone if you're emotionally wrapped up in something, but it's the most important thing you can do for yourself and everyone around you.

Near the end of the movie, the guy with the natural talent, Happy Gilmore, is frustrated and angry because he is very close to losing the big game he needs to win. His grandma surprises him and shows up to cheer him on and she tells him, "Forget about him (the opposition)... I just want you to be happy."

And that is the key to it folks. It sounds cheesy and corny, but "don't get mad, get glad." A lot of the times it's easier said than done, and sometimes, it's just plain impossible. But I still wish and work for happiness, because it takes both.  Enjoy this beautiful Friday peeps.

Sincerely,

Read Riding Hood