Allow me to quote some portions of a speech given by the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, brother of the late US President John F. Kennedy (not sure he is a golfer like Obama) as these could give us, be it high handicappers or low handicappers some new perspectives and fresh insights:
THERE IS, SAID AN ITALIAN PHILOSOPHER, NOTHING MORE DIFFICULT TO TAKE IN HAND, MORE PERILOUS TO CONDUCT, OR MORE UNCERTAIN IN ITS SUCCESS THAN TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW ORDER OF THINGS.
FIRST, THERE IS THE DANGER OF FUTILITY, THE BELIEF THAT NOTHING ONE MAN OR ONE WOMAN CAN DO AGAINST THE ENORMOUS ARRAY OF THE WORLD’S ILLS, AGAINST THE MISERY AND IGNORANCE, INJUSTICE AND VIOLENCE. YET MANY OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST MOVEMENTS, OF THOUGHT AND ACTION, HAVE FLOWED FROM THE WORK OF A SINGLE MAN. FEW WILL HAVE THE GREATNESS TO BEND HISTORY ITSELF, BUT EACH OF US CAN WORK TO CHANGE A SMALL PORTION OF EVENTS, AND IN THE TOTAL OF THOSE ACTS WILL BE WRITTEN THE HISTORY OF THIS GENERATION. IT IS FROM THE NUMBERLESS DIVERSE ACTS OF COURAGE AND BELIEF THAT HUMAN HISTORY IS SHAPED.
EACH TIME A MAN STANDS UP FOR AN IDEAL, OR ACTS TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF OTHERS, OR STRIKES OUT AGAINST INJUSTICE, HE SENDS FORTH A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE AND CROSSING EACH OTHER FROM A MILLION DIFFERENT CENTERS OF ENERGY AN DARING, THOSE RIPPLES BUILD A CURRENT WHICH CAN SWEEP DOWN THE MIGHTIEST WALLS OF OPPRESSION AND RESISTANCE.
THE SECOND DANGER IS THAT OF EXPEDIENCY: OF THOSE WHO SAY THAT HOPES AND BELIEFS MUST BEND BEFORE IMMEDIATE NECESSITIES. (BUT THERE IS ) ALSO THE BELIEF THAT IDEALISM, HIGH ASPIRATIONS AND DEEP CONVICTIONS ARE NOT INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE MOST PRACTICAL AND EFFICIENT OF PROGRAMS – THAT THERE IS NO BASIC INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN IDEALS AND REALISTIC POSSIBILITIES, NO SEPARATION BETWEEN THE DEEPEST DESIRES OF HEART AND OF MIND AND THE RATIONAL APPLICATION OF HUMAN EFFORT TO HUMAN PROBLEMS. OF COURSE TO ADHERE TO STANDARDS, TO IDEALISM, TO VISION IN THE FACE OF IMMEDIATE DANGERS TAKES GREAT COURAGE AND TAKES SELF-CONFIDENCE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT ONLY THOSE WHO DARE TO FALL GREATLY CAN EVER ACHIEVE GREATLY.
A THIRD DANGER IS TIMIDITY. FEW MEN ARE WILLING TO BRAVE THE DISAPPROVAL OF THEIR FELLOWS, THE CENSURE OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, THE WRATH OF THEIR SOCIETY. MORAL COURAGE IS A RARER COMMODITY THAN BRAVERY IN BATTLE OR GREAT INTELLIGENCE. YET IT IS THE ONE ESSENTIAL VITAL QUALITY OF THOSE WHO SEEK TO CHANGE A WORLD WHICH YIELDS MOST PAINFULLY TO CHANGE.
FOR THE FORTUNATE AMONG US, THE FOURTH DANGER IS COMFORT, THE TEMPTATION TO FOLLOW THE EASY AND FAMILIAR PATHS OF PERSONAL AMBITION AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS SO GRANDLY SPREAD BEFORE THOSE WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF EDUCATION. EVERYONE HERE WILL ULTIMATELY BE JUDGED – AND ULTIMATELY JUDGE HIMSELF – ON THE EFFORT HE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO BUILDING A NEW WORLD SOCIETY AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH HIS IDEALS AND GOALS HAVE SHAPED THAT EFFORT.
Me is no philosopher but after read this, all those ponds, bunkers, low handicappers, please step aside ... Hantam saja Labu.
