Golf Lessons For Life, Part 3 - It's Good to Finish Before You're Ready to Quit

In case you want to catch up:
Part 1
Part 2

Before Brian and I went to the golf course - when I made my initial agreement to play with him - I said I would play nine holes.
Not eighteen.
Not twelve.
Not even nine and a half.
Nine holes. Period.

And honestly? I was just hoping I'd make it through nine without getting so frustrated that I wouldn't ever want to play again.
But Brian did such a great job encouraging me; he was so good at making me laugh and feel comfortable just being me; I had such an enjoyable time with him on the golf course that when we got to the end of the ninth hole I didn't even feel ready to quit.
I was perfectly willing to go into the clubhouse and sign up for another nine holes.
And that is why I thought it was the right time to finish playing golf for the day.
Because I didn't want to quit.

Oh, I know in "real life" we don't always have the luxury of finishing before we're ready to quit. Because there are many moments when I'm ready to tender my resignation from motherhood - and I am NOT finished with this job yet!
But that experience on the golf course led me to consider the value of pacing myself.
Maybe the WHOLE house doesn't get cleaned in one day. (Yeah. Like that would ever happen!)
Maybe I don't get ALL the ironing and mending done in one afternoon.
Maybe I only weed half the garden today.
Perhaps I only play nine holes. But when I finish before I'm ready to quit, I find I am much more willing to go out and play another nine later.

BTW, the reason I KNOW this is true is because Brian and I played nine holes in the morning, and went back that night to play the other nine. Maybe someday I'll work up to eighteen holes at a time, but for now - I'm sticking with nine!