For those of you who missed it, on Sunday afternoon Phil Mickleson became the oldest winner of a major championship in the history of golf.

It was an amazing last few holes to watch. And the golf was pretty good too….

It was amazing to watch because of the story and the fans.

Phil Mickleson has essentially played professional golf his entire adult life. He’s played in hundreds of tournaments and has won more than his fair share.

What was he doing every time the camera got in close? Taking deep breaths and calming himself down. Working to control the same nerves that plague most (all?) of us when dealing with a high-pressure situation.

Then on national TV with about a gazillion fans waiting around for the trophy ceremony, what was he doing? Calling his wife to tell her he loves her and that he’ll be home tonight. I bet they are both still laughing about that conversation today. It was a great reminder that even in the midst of a history-making day on the golf course the most important thing he could do was to call his wife.

The best part though was watching the fans. Thousands of people cheering for one man as he rewrote the history books. Each shot resulted in a roar from the crowd. They rushed in so close on the last hole that several fans got manhandled by security just to try and calm the whole situation down.

After a year plus of COVID news, election angst, and economic woes it was a moment that reminded me of the human capacity for joy and community. We were built for community. We have been imbued with the ability to experience joy.

It was a great moment in golf history, made even better by being a part of an important moment in human history. And made even better for me because I got to watch it with Meaghan and the kiddos.

Make it a great day.

Jake