Mini-golf and learning

Whack! Whack! Whack!

That’s my 4-year-old playing mini-golf. He discovered the joys of the game this spring in Florida.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

He doesn’t care what his score is. He is unconcerned about what others think. All he knows is that if he hits the ball enough times in roughly the right direction, eventually it’s going in the hole.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

We encourage him after every stroke: Good job! Try again! You’re getting closer! His ear-to-ear grin shows his joy. His gradually-declining totals show that he’s improving.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

We don’t have to be brilliant to be successful. But we do have to be persistent and unafraid. When do we lose this?

Whack! Whack! Whack!

As my 4-year-old gets older, he’ll get better at learning from his mistakes. But I hope that he always retains his lack of fear and his willingness to persist. Because the world is his oyster if he does.