Yesterday I was travelling to meet my son to play a round of golf with him. It is a wonderful way to spend time with a friend, and my son certainly is a very dear friend to me. Three hours of uninterrupted time together and if the golf is good that is an added bonus. Yesterday I was playing well I even managed to get a par from a chip off the green straight into the hole.
I was a bit concerned on my way to the golf course because First there was a diversion on the road and then to finish it off I got stuck behind a hearse.
I wondered if maybe there was another route I could take but decided against this course of action having had bad experiences in the past with detours.
I remembered the time I got lost trying to find my way to a church where I was to be the visiting minister. I could see the church standing on a hill but could not find the road to it. Twice I took a wrong turning. Eventually I decided to get out the car and take a short cut over the field and leave my wife to find the way. I only just managed to get there in time. Sadly I was up to my knees in mud. Unbeknown to the congregation I conducted that service in my bare feet and underpants. Thank goodness for long robes.
The hearse and that memory reminded me of another true event.
A bagpiper, was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the back country. There would be no mourners so the undertaker thought it would be a gesture to at least send the deceased off with a lament.
The piper was not familiar with the area got lost and, being a typical man, didn’t stop for directions.
He finally arrived almost an hour late and saw the funeral director had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
He felt badly and apologised to the men for being late. He went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. Not knowing what else to do, he started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. He played out his heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. He played like he had never played before for this homeless man.
And as he "Amazing Grace," he could have sworn he saw a tear in the workers eyes. The piper felt moved to tears and wept. When he finished he packed up his bagpipes and started for his car. He was moved with emotion but felt pleased he had given of his best.
As he opened the door of his car, he heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
The bottom line is that no matter the occasion we should always give of our very best, nothing else is good enough.
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