I have been out of work for a little over a month now and while, in the midst of trying to figure out where the heck my life needs to head I receive an intriguing email from my mother. It was one of those infamous forwarded emails that we all rarely read and probably have our email set to auto-delete.

However, the title of the email caught my eye so I thought I would give it a quick glance. The email had no author and was titled "The Awakening". The content of the email was quite comprehensive and related to life as we can choose it to be. You see, we often see things as we have been told to see them rather than they how they really are. So this email awakened my reality and in a sense, helped me gain a better understanding of where my life is heading.

I may have become unexpectedly unemployed but I believe that there is something out there better just waiting for me to find it. It all boils down to my choice. I can choose to sit back and complain and sulk about things that happen in my life or I can choose to grab life by the (golf) balls and keep shooting for that subpar round. I choose the latter!

Its funny how things just show up when we need them most. Thanks Mom!

I will post the email below just in case you have time to read it. It is a bit lengthy.

The Awakening
Author Unknown

A time comes in your life when you finally get it ... when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it ' s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change ... or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that you are neither Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren ' t always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you ... and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ... and that ' s OK.
They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself ... and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn ' t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is you.

You learn that people don ' t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it ' s not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself ... and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties ... and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you ' ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you ' ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with ... and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don ' t know everything, it ' s not your job to save the world and that you can ' t teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.

And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK ... and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want ... and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won ' t settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple.

And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest.

And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve .... and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone ... and that it ' s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn ' t always fair, you don ' t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that God isn ' t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It ' s just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state -- the EGO.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart ' s desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

In my previous blog, I mentioned a couple ways to play golf cheaply. I am happy to say that I took my own advice. After going to a local golf course and applying to become a volunteer marshall, I found out today that my application was approved. I am required to be on the course 'directing traffic' for 6 1/2 hours a WEEK. The benefit: Free Golf.

So there is minimal impact on the job hunt and school and maximum impact on Golf. Isn't life grand!

Remember there are ways to get what you want out of life. All you need to do is make an honest effort to go for what you want and the key is not to stop until you get it.

-Hit 'em long and tight!

Golf can be expensive especially for someone without a job and a family to support!

Here are 3+ ways to keep the costs down:

1. Discounted Tee Times
There are websites popping up everyday with daily deals for green fees at golf courses. If you sign up to receive emails from golf websites like Golf512.com you can even have special deals sent directly to you that are better than the ones on the actual website.

2. All-Inclusive Golf Vacations
The all-inclusive vacation is becoming more and more popular with vacationers. Hotels are using the all-in-one special as a way to lure travelers to their hotel. The person on vacation receives discounted golf, doesn't feel like they're being nickel and dimed to death and the hotel has revenue coming in. It is a win-win situation!

3. Part-time Help
As an incentive, the golf courses provide free golf to their part-time or full-time employees since they work for very little pay. Typically the employees can have a guest or two at no additional cost so you can even bring a buddy. Try to find a job at a course or become a buddy!

There is no better feeling than paying next to nothing to play 18 holes at one of your favorite golf courses.

-Hit 'em long and tight!

P.S. Buying balls or tees is silly. Invest in a ball retriever and collect the tees left on the tee boxes.

For my first blog I think I should tell everyone a little something about my background and where
my love for the game of golf was born.

I grew up in the late 80's and early '90s with no interest in the game or even a care in the world that it even existed. The golf seed wasn't planted until I joined the military, received orders to an island called Guam and was paired up with my roommate, we'll call him 'Dave'. Out of boredom one day, he invited me to go play this silly game and I found it incredibly frustrating and difficult to learn but I felt it fit in perfectly with the military's "hurry up and wait" lifestyle. Since that day, the golf seed sprouted and continued to grow at an exponential pace.

After leaving the military and moving to Texas, I found another friend whose passion for the game became like water to the seed that Dave planted. It was so exciting to see how involved in the game he was, from playing the game two or three time a 'week' to building all of his golf clubs from scratch. He was such a true inspiration for what it meant to have passion for something. The more times I went out to play with him or just hang around him, the more I developed the same true desire to play the game as often as possible. Of course, he was retired and much older than I so he had a little more time to devote to the game but I told myself that no matter what the circumstances I would never give up on golf.

What I find most endearing about golf is that it reminds me about so many of life's important values - 'respect' for the delicateness of the greens, 'patience' when I can't hit the broad side of a barn with my golf ball, 'honesty' with respect to scoring and penalties on myself and 'diversity' with regards to the number of unique personalities and golf swings that I have seen - just to name a few. Also, the game in some respect helps keep my values in check, challenges my competitive fire and serves as a release for me from the daily, monotony of life.

Remember: Time waits for noone - keep growing and learning and find a passion for something. You will be twenty-something one day then you'll blink and discover you are sixty-something. God provided you with the ability to make choices. Choose to enjoy every day like its your last.

Hit 'em long and tight!