Priorities...

Posted Apr 08 2009, 02:09 PM by Cathy Erickson
My refrigerator died yesterday.  I sort of knew it was coming, but the strange noises it had been making had stopped a few days ago so I figured it had just cured itself.  Apparently you should not ignore the "code blue" noises your appliances make.  After an hour or so of throwing away all of my formerly frozen treasures I realized that I have to shop for a new refrigerator - now.

You'd think I might be excited about the prospect of shopping.  Checking out sales and getting a good price is right up my alley...but a thought zipped through my head last night...it's Masters Week!!   I've got streaming video and ESPN to watch today!  I don't have TIVO and I didn't think to set my VCR (yes, I still have one!).  Refrigerator...Masters?   Masters...Refrigerator?  I guess I could eat out until next week...but it could take a few days to get one delivered, so waiting probably isn't smart.  Wednesday is only the Par-3 contest...but it's Augusta!  I don't want to miss a minute.
 
Priorities.  The one word indicator of where your life is, was, and could be going.  I'm guessing most of us have made a "priority list" or two (or 100) in our lives, or been asked "where are your priorities?", or been told (or yelled at) "get your priorities straight!"  It's a measure of who we are and what we hope to be.  WOW...that's a lot of pressure!
 
With it being Masters week, it's hard for me not to think of Greg Norman...the amount of press he's gotten over the past few weeks as been overwhelming and I think he has to be considered the sentimental favorite.  But he has indicated that for this week his priority is to enjoy the Augusta experience with his family.  It would be crazy not to think that a green jacket might be hovering someplace in the back of his mind right now, but he made the decision several years ago that other priorities were more important than winning golf tournaments.  I've got a feeling, though, that once he's off the first tee on Thursday, a whole new priority list is being created in his head (it is his favorite tournament).
 
And then my mind wanders over to Davis Love.  He had worked his way up to 47th in the world rankings just a few weeks ago and then fell to 51st the week of the Shell Houston Open (the top 50 get an invite).  After not playing in the Masters last year, one of his priorities was to earn the invitation again.  But he needed a win at the SHO to make it and he came up short.  I'm sorry he won't be there.  And of course there's my other favorite, Fred Couples.  With his final round struggles at the SHO I wonder if his priority list changed at all for this week?
 
I think we know winning isn't the priority of every single player in the Masters field this week, but for most, being prepared for Augusta has been a priority for weeks, if not months.  For the 19 first time players, maybe it's been a priority for years.  Just being invited is a major accomplishment.  And for others, maybe just making the cut, or breaking par is priority enough.  That's the thing about the Masters...it mixes the best in the world with the respectful honor of being a champion.
 
And how about the fans?  All you have to do is watch a clip or two on the Masters web site to know that fans from around the world have put going to the Masters on their ultimate golf priority list...for some it's once in a lifetime, for others it's yearly tradition.  I can tell you this, it's definitely on mine.
 
No matter what the priorities are, golfers, champions, and fans alike know that there is something special about April and Augusta.  It's worth shifting a few things around to make time to experience all that is the Masters.
 
I've decided to compromise...a couple hours of the par-3 contest at work (shhh!), and then off to refrigerator shop. My priorities for the rest of the week include some awesome family time, Masters time with friends and great dinner on Saturday, and being able to pull out leftovers from my new refrigerator on Sunday as I glue myself to the couch to enjoy my favorite Sunday of the year.  If you're priorities are anything like mine, you should have a great weekend, too.  Enjoy the Masters!
 
Filed under: Masters, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Priorities, Fans