"The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph."
I had the most incredible experience this past weekend playing golf. I'm not writing this to brag. It's for a totally different reason. There is a moral to my story.
I've been called lucky, and I've been called brave. I don't consider myself either one. There are too many things that have happened in my life that could never be considered lucky or brave.
I do consider myself blessed.
As many of you know, I have struggled with back issues for many years. I've broken my back 3 times and had 2 back surgeries. There were times, some quite recent when I doubted if I'd ever swing a golf club again. For someone who treasures golf not just as a sport but as a source of camaraderie, the thought of giving it up was heart-wrenching. Yet, I was prepared to let it go if it meant an escape from the relentless pain.
I don't know how many of you have suffered from back fractures, but let me tell you, it's not like any pain I've ever felt. It is excruciating. You, essentially, can't do anything without horrible pain.
Anyway, I've been very careful about playing golf the last several years, not playing more than a couple times a week and always with a day or two in between.
Last winter, after visiting my bone doctor, she prescribed a daily injection of a formula that has shown success in building bone mass, not just slowing the loss of bone mass. I started taking that a year ago. I am anxious to get a current bone density test in April when I return from Arizona to see the difference. I think it is helping, though. Since I've been in Yuma this winter, I've been playing up to 4 times a week. This week I will be playing 5 times in 7 days. I do still wear a back brace while I play, and that helps.
The incredible part is that last weekend, I played in a 2-day senior women's golf tournament at the Mesa Del Sol Golf course. I went into the tournament with no expectations other than having fun playing with some ladies I'd never met before. I was very relaxed and just out to have some fun.
Saturday was a nice weather day, and I shot a score of 79. WhooHoo! Sunday's forecast of rain didn't have me very excited. I do NOT like to play in the rain and avoid it whenever possible. However, I went prepared and soldiered through. My score on Sunday was even better than Saturday's, which was kind of unbelievable. I shot a 78. I ended up winning low gross of the field.
Here is the moral of the story. I am not lucky, and I am not brave. I am blessed. I am blessed because I have been given the spirit of persistence. I never gave up and didn't let the adversity of poor weather conditions deter me. I just kept plugging away shot by shot. I don't play well every day. But I get out and play. Sometimes I even play better than I ever imagined I would again. That was the case last weekend. I used to be a fairly consistent player, but now I'm just happy to be playing. That's a win every day for me.
I think there is a lesson for all of us about life and business from my experience. What adversity have you faced and fought through? What unexpected successes are still in store for you with persistence and an attitude of never giving up?
I am blessed! How about you? 
Triumphs Over Trials: My Journey Back To Golfing
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