Discipline

Basically I learned discipline from three different sources. My father, who during my youth, found that being strict, stern and the household justice system that Corporal Punishment was a major contributor to the learning curve. I think today they call it child abuse. I am afraid even though I did not apply it to the same degree that he did that it has its place in the teaching/learning process. Secondly from Ka Ka who had a totally different approach that never involved a belt. He would take the time to help me understand how decisions that I have to make need to reflect a thought process that considers others, leads to accomplishing what I have set out to do and in doing so follows a logical path involving set goals and a concentrated effort to succeed, regardless of how minor the task. Hell, one of those lessons came when I was being taught how to hook the worm properly. The way he explained it was the discipline it takes to do it correctly, not looking at it as hurting another creature but the reward at the end of the process and the benefit the fish would provide for the family. He was unsuccessful applying this to deer hunting so I would go along to enjoy the outdoors, but could never shoot one. It would be sometime before I learned how different his process was. He hunted with a .22 caliber pistol. He would later explain that it really wasn’t fair to the deer from a couple of hundred yards away. But if he was able to get close enough, the deer had earned the right to be at his table. Then there was the United States Marine Corps. They have a completely different process that I didn’t recognize in the beginning but turned out to be a combination of the other two. That combination has led to a work ethic that has been described by others as exceptional, a true honesty of purpose, true honesty of character, and the discipline to stay on course. With that said, until recently, none of this applied on the golf course. I have gotten much better lately. My disapproval of my swing did not set well with someone I respect a great deal, so I am applying an extra effort to discipline myself when the shot goes astray. A funny thing happened on the way, I have far fewer stray shots. Ka Ka would have told me this but he passed before I took up golf. And that brings me to the United States Marine Corps.