The OLD Philosopher – John M. Miller
Tiger Woods was never my favorite golfer. However, except for Jack Nicklaus, he was the best golfer in the world for almost two decades of my long lifetime.
Tiger’s personality was strongly shaped by his father, I suspect, and sadly, not for the better. Nevertheless, in the last ten years, Tiger has been through one crisis after another.
From these adversities he has emerged a remarkably changed man. This was recognized by the crowd who followed him on every hole in the Masters, by the joyous throng who greeted him at the eighteenth hole on the final day, and especially by his many fellow champions who were there warmly applauding his victory.
“Repentance” is normally used in a religious context, although it is not fundamentally a religious notion. From its Greek root, it simply means “to turn around.” To repent is to take a new direction in life, because the old direction was injurious to everyone, most of all to the one who repents.
Tiger has been redeemed. Clearly he is a new man. I cheered his every good shot over four days, and bewailed his rare bad ones. I am now a full-fledged fan. Goooooo, Tiger!
John M. Miller
Hilton Head Island
The Rev. Dr. Miller is Pastor of The Chapel Without Walls.