Lost and Found

We learn, we forget. We learn, we forget, we learn, we forget over and over until one sunny day or one summer's night we learn and we remember.

Do you remember the last time that you were lost? You've probably forgotten already. It's a shitty feeling to be lost but we only remember how shitty the feeling is/was when we find ourselves lost again.

It's easier to remember that amazing feeling when we were found. What we do with that feeling....how much we treasure it....will guide us through the rest of our lives.

Not all of us all of the time but some of us, some of the time.

Our friend Roger got lost amongt the throngs at Pebble Beach who were marching along with Arnold Palmer. Palmer was in the midst of changing the perception of golf from a rich man's sport ( the game of our oppressors) to an endeavor that welcomed the common man. Arnie, far from common, gave the impression that he represented everybody at the same time. Palmer was from LaTrobe Pennsylvania which was literally the neighborhood of Mr. Rogers. He had charisma and was attracting an Army of adoring fans every time that he competed. Roger's parents were amongst that army and somehow got swept away from their child that day at Pebble Beach overlooking the ocean and the cliffs below which had once been the home of cormorants but now was the hangout of seals who remember and forget at a rate incomprehensible to we humans.

Arnold who had the compartmentalization skills to notice and react to everything in the crowd while simultaneously blotting out everything he was seeing and hearing when in the midst of shot making. Arnold became aware of the lost boy.

In the kind of human touch that would endear him to millions, Arnold figured out what had happened and invited Roger to walk with him down the fairway. Arnold assumed that his parents would see the boy and retrieve him which they did.

The enitre situation was overwhelming to the boy. He had been lost, alone and confused then he became recognized by the most recognizable person on the course. Roger found himself walking down the wondrous fairway with everybdoy in the Army noticing and cheering while his fear disappeared in the midst of temporary glory.

Roger became dedicated to golf.He went on to become a professional. He had a decent career but what people noticed about Roger was his authentic love for the sport, his ability to describe the action and analyze the performance of the golfers in a way that was relatable to the fans at home, drinking their beers while remembering and forgetting the lessons from the previous work week.

Roger began his second life, his resurrection so to speak. He was hired as a commentator. To this day, he remains a teevee personality. Roger remains low key. He keeps the attention on the players and the problems confronting the players.His memory and articulation always keeping the contest in historical perspective. He speaks in whispers.His speciality is followingplayers as they walk down the fairways and describing for the national audience what he is noticing during his perpetual walk.

Roger Maltbie provides us with a lesson we can learn and forget until we don't.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the wrong place at the right time and with an interventional twist the wrong place suddenly become the right place while the time remains right. We learn. We don't forget. We stay grateful. We become essential. We thrive.

Some of us, some of the time.

And to most of us, at least once.