by Lawrence Poploski

Created on: December 01, 2009

And Under His Skin..

We all live in glass houses. As such, when someone stumbles, do we have any right to point an accusing finger except when we stare in a mirror? I've been following the story about Tiger Woods accident closely and I've come to one conclusion - it's time we start minding our own business. There is a song lyric by the blues singer Keb Mo that goes ..."and under my skin, I'm just like you." Despite all of TIger Woods fame and notoriety, under his skin, he's just like us.

Anyone who has ever had a meaningful relationship with a significant other knows there are times when we stumble. We do or say the wrong thing at the wrong time and we're called to task for our mistake. It happens. It happens to all of us. Sometimes these mistakes make us cry. Sometimes they make the other person cry. Most often, everyone hurts. No one wants to make these types of mistakes, but being the flawed creatures we human beings are, we sometimes trip and fall on the cracks of our own poor judgment.

What happened last week to Tiger Woods is news heard around the world. We've heard critics make accusations ranging from the sublime to the absurd. What really happened we may never know, but is it really any of our business? Are we so preoccupied with the lives of the rich and famous that we forget we are at least as screwed up or more in our own personal relationships? Maybe we find fascination in their misdeeds because it helps us forget about our own mishaps. Maybe it's a case of misery loves company and we find a macabre delight in knowing that under his skin, he's just like us. Maybe we use these exposed moments of vulnerable humanity to knock down someone else because it takes the focus away from how we ourselves have failed. Maybe it's all of this or none of this, but in the end, it's really none of our business and we should lend him the same considerations we ourselves want when cracks in our character are exposed.

Everything in life has a price tag. The fortune Tiger has accumulated did not come free. Only he knows the sacrifice given to reach such a level of amazing achievement. Excellence in one's profession does not guarantee equal success in personal relationships. Often the two are diametrically opposed, forcing one to make hard choices of which is more important, which has more value in a life. Balancing the two correctly, especially on Tiger Woods level, is not simple task. Indeed, it may be his greatest challenge.

I'm giving Tiger Woods a pass. Maybe nothing much happened. Maybe reports of domestic unrest are fact. Whatever occurred, it's still none of our damn business. We should be more concerned with making sure the glass houses we live in are tempered against similar storms instead of tossing stones at someone else. Maybe Tiger Woods made some serious mistakes last week. If so, he has my sympathy. I've been there and done that, and I know the shame. If you are honest with yourselves, you'll admit the same and wish Tiger well as he tries to make amends for his sins. Let the media whores ply their trade and shoot arrows at Tiger. As for me, I'll just try to remember the times I was less than perfect and use what happened to Tiger Woods as a reminder that under his skin, he's just like me. Until then, fore.

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