Don’t wait

If you watched the Masters golf tournament this year, you likely saw an impressive college player, Sam Bennett, who became the first amateur since 1964 to enter the final round in the top 10. This young man can play!

I was struck not only by Sam’s game and quiet confidence on the golf course but also by the tattoo on his left forearm.

Bennett’s father, Mark, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and some of the last words he spoke to Sam – “Don’t wait to do something” – are tattooed on Sam’s arm in his father’s handwriting. Mark died in June 2021.

What a profound statement and reminder. I think too many of us put things off, whether it be a vacation, dining out at a new restaurant, visiting family, or even just wearing a new outfit. We have a tendency to save things for a special occasion or procrastinate and fail to make things happen. We justify our delays by saying we’re too busy, don’t have the money, or the time just isn’t right.

We say “I’ll do it tomorrow,” but the fact is that time doesn’t stop and soon days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. Research shows that more people regret things they didn't do than the things they did, even if the things they did turned out badly.

Truly, as writer John Trusler coined: “There’s no time like the present. A thousand unforeseen circumstances may interrupt you at a future time.” The familiar Nike slogan applies here, as well: Just do it.

As for Bennett, he finished 16th at the Masters and won the Silver Cup for low amateur honors, a very impressive award. He didn’t win, but he also didn’t wait.