It is a goal.

As those who read this blog are aware I am one of those people who play the game of golf and rather proud that this is a game that was invented right here in Scotland. Those who know me also know that in this mind of mine nothing is ever as simple and straightforward.

As I walked yesterday and counting the miles I had done this month is such a pursuit, something I do not have to do because my watch tells me it is one hundred and sixty-seven miles. an average of almost nine miles per day. My watch has also set a February challenge of two hundred and twelve miles. Now that does seem pointless, I would walk anyway and probably never look at the miles.

I was thinking about golf and smiling as many people say that playing golf is just a good walk spoiled. Whoever sat down and thought, what we need to do is get a little ball painted white a stick with a club end and a little hole in the grass two hundred yards away and using the stick hit the ball into it counting how many shots it takes.

But it is not only we humans that indulge in such things.  There is a dog that lives close to me the moment it is released from its lead in the park starts feverishly chasing its tail, round and round.

Then there is the dog that sits at the end of the drive into the house where its owner lives. Every time a car or vehicle passes it chases it as fast as it can for a good hundred yards up the road. 

I remember saying to the owner, “Do you think your dog will ever get fit enough to catch one of those cars? “

He smiled and replied, “That is not what bothers me. What really bothers me is what he would do if he ever did catch one.”

I smile when I remember that little dog running and barking in its endless and meaningless pursuit, and think of the wondrous joy of the golfer who has scored a hole in one or hit a stroke that has gone straight towards the target further than they have ever hit before.

But these are not the only meaningless actions that can be seen day in and day out. We all at some time have pursued meaningless goals and wasted precious time getting nowhere and doing nothing much. 

The great sage once said, “To live a meaningful life, choose meaningful goals.! “

But if the purpose is to find some happiness is hitting a little ball such a meaningless pursuit?

Have a marvellous day.