On Golf and Monkeys

 Teacher Jack Kornfield tells one of my favorite stories about a new English colony in India that wanted to construct a golf course in Calcutta.

The biggest challenge was that the area was populated with monkeys who were interested in golf, too.

Their way of joining the game was to run out onto the course and take the balls that the golfers were hitting and toss them in all directions. Of course, the golfers weren’t happy about this, so they tried to “manage” the monkeys.

First, they built high fences around the fairway. But, of course, it wasn’t long before the golfers learned that monkeys climb. As you might have guessed, this solution failed.

The next thing the golfers tried was to lure the monkeys away from the course by waving bananas. But for every monkey that would go for the bananas, another ten would race onto the golf course to join the fun.

In desperation, the golfers tried trapping and relocating the monkeys, but that strategy didn’t work either. The monkeys just had too many relatives who liked to play with golf balls!

So finally, the club’s golf committee wrote a novel policy into their course rule book: “Players must play the ball where the monkey drops it.” Those golfers were wiser than they knew!

Sometimes in life, it feels like monkeys are dropping golf balls everywhere but where we’d like them to. Often when this happens, we react poorly. We complain, shake our fists at God, throw a tantrum, or feel resentful. But these reactions only increase our suffering!

What can we do? When life refuses to cooperate with my plans, I’ve learned to say to myself, “Like it or not, this is where the monkey has dropped the ball. I’m going to surrender to what is and adapt rather than resist.”

Paradoxically, when I let go and accept life on life’s terms, I discover “a peace that passes all understanding,” and I find the power and wisdom to deal with whatever challenge or unforeseen turn of events life throws at me.

This week when you find yourself faced with an unwanted difficulty or challenge, say to yourself, “I have to play the ball where the monkey drops it,” and see if you don’t experience the peace and power of acceptance. Peace to all.