We are all moving through life. For some, the rate of change is obvious and disconcerting, while for others the years pass as slowly as glaciers grinding the earth. But as the progression approaches its inevitable conclusion, as the slope of the curve deepens in its negative value, the yearning for past youth strengthens. We grasp at any sign that what we once had is still available, even if in reduced form. Watching Tom Watson over the last four days is just the most recent example. For a moment, many of us thought that the shackles of time could be broken and the vigor and sharpness of the early years recaptured.
But as time instructs, it cannot be. The most unlikely is really the impossible. Father Time has perfected his grip on life, and the best we can hope for is the valiant struggle. So, thank you, Tom, for fighting for all of us. It is somehow comforting to know that while all cannot be recovered, there is still available a reservoir of youthful vigor, even if in the final measure it is not quite enough.
