Mulligans

Simply put, a mulligan is a do-over for those who play the game of golf. Hit a bad shot? Take a mulligan. Drop another ball on the spot from where you just played, and replay the shot. Then, the other shot does not count.

Our son Kelly loved to play miniature golf when he was younger. We still laugh when we talk about all the mulligans he always wanted to take during a round of miniature golf with the family.

Most of us would like to take a mulligan for all the bad things in our lives. I think we all would like to replay some things. We wish we could have a do-over. There are things I would like to take a mulligan on. You can probably say the same.

I remember a fishing trip when my line broke on the biggest bass I had ever seen. It had to be at least a state record. Well, maybe not quite that big. You know how we fisherman like to stretch the truth a little. I knew my line was getting old. I knew I needed to put on some new line. Mulligan!

Then there was the time I got into my deer stand, reached into my pack to get my release for my bow. It was not there. I knew I should have double-checked. You cannot shoot a compound bow without a bow release. I then had to sit there and watch a buck walk under my stand that morning. It was much bigger than anything I had ever taken with a gun or bow. Mulligan!

Long ago, before digital cameras and smartphones, I was on a camping trip. The beautiful northern lights were dancing across the sky. I reached for my camera and started taking pictures of this beautiful sight. You guessed it. There was no film in the camera. Mulligan!

I would also like to take a mulligan for times my kids wanted to go fishing or when wife wanted to go hiking, but I was too busy. Oh, there are a lot of other things I have done that I would like to take a mulligan on. I am just thankful I have a God who forgives me for mistakes that I have made. The hardest part is forgiving myself. All I can do is try to live the rest of my life where I do not need to take a mulligan.

Believe it or not, there is a national holiday every year on October 17^th called Mulligan Day. But do not wait until then. Mulligan Day can be any day. No matter if it is a former relationship with a friend or loved one, an old hobby you abandoned, or a past mistake that needs rectifying. You can take a mulligan.

Everyone deserves to have a second chance in life. And that is what mulligans are all about. If you do not succeed at first, try and try again! After all, we are not perfect. There has only been one perfect man. We are going to make mistakes. We should not feel bad about doing something wrong or messing up. We should see it as an opportunity to learn and do it better the next time.

Second chances and even third chances should be good for everyone. Although we always want to do things correctly the first time, immediate success is not always possible. Sometimes, it does not happen. We should embrace our human faults. Don’t simply admit failure and give up. Instead, why not take a deep breath, think about where you went wrong, learn from it, and try again?

Mulligans help us to be more confident and accepting of ourselves. We can also use them to encourage other people. When you see someone failing at something or struggling to get it right, offer encouragement to them. Offer them advice if they would like some. Imagine how much better place the world would be if we all had that attitude and helped others to achieve their goals!

Take a mulligan and give yourself another chance to do something the right way that previously was wrong. After all, mulligans are about second chances and doing something again. Hey, God gives us mulligans. He wants us to get it right. Ask his forgiveness and try again. There are many examples of God giving people a mulligan in the Bible.

You can also use mulligans as an opportunity to learn some new skills. Learn to  play a musical instrument or learn to fish. Use it as the catalyst to help you try out something new. Do not have fear of failing or needing to do something again and again until you get it right. After all, the struggle makes achievement even more enjoyable in the end, and it is better to try than not give it any effort at all, right?

Here is a great idea! If mulligans are do-overs for bad things that happened, why can’t we have do-overs for good things that have happened in our lives? For me, it would be deer camp with friends or family. Mulligan! A trip my wife and I made to Glacier National Park. Mulligan! Going fishing with my grandkids. Mulligan! Deer and turkey hunting with my sons and grandkids. Mulligan! Time alone around a campfire. Mulligan! The list goes on and on.

Sometimes, life gives us a second chance or even more. Not always, but sometimes. What you do with those second chances, those do-overs, is what counts. Mulligans!