Tiger Woods hitting the "rough"
Recent shocking news about Tiger Woods, Buju Banton and other celebrities beg the following questions. Can anyone be really trusted? Are the gleaming images of superstars that we see in the media real or just burnished for marketing purposes? Are there any genuinely positive role models left for our youth to emulate?
As we quickly approach 2010, this is an appropriate time for each of us to take a timeout from the Christmas rush and thoroughly review our own lives in order to see where we stand. Instead of judging these celebrities too harshly, let us look at our own lives. Some of us like to testify to people about ourselves, saying “What you see is what you get!” Are we really who we say we are or do we have multiple selves? Do we have one image at work, another at school, another at home, and another at church? Do we constantly live trying to impress others with a glossy image or lifestyle rather than being happy and content with our real selves?
Definitely there are many lessons to be learned from these stunningly disgraceful episodes. No matter how one tries to cover up indiscretions, the truth tends to eventually float to the surface, as uncomfortable as that is. Unfortunately it’s not only the individuals involved that are affected but also their close family members and friends, sometimes entire communities and countries.
None of us is perfect or exempt from inappropriate behavior. These incidents remind us of the need to be careful about the far-reaching implications of our bad behavior and think twice, even three or four times, maybe more, before we do something really crazy. It’s really not worth it in the long run. If you don’t believe this, you can ask Tiger or Buju, if you can locate them. It will be a very good day when these two extraordinary, talented celebrities ‘gone bad’ will find ways to redeem themselves and once again enjoy the warm embrace of the wider community.
