Forum Editorial: Perspective is a blessing

EDITORIAL MUG: Editorial art Horizontal

Maryville golf coach Brenda Ricks said something at Monday’s Junior Am golf tournament that struck a chord. She was recounting how many visitors had been complimenting the course and entire facility at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park, and she said something to the effect of, “I don’t know if we always realize how good we have it.”

As with many lessons that sports teach us, this one transcends a golf course that nearly every other community in the country would envy. It goes beyond seeing the hard work of many in our community being rewarded by bringing a golf tournament to Mozingo Lake that draws some of the best young players in the world to our community.

It goes beyond the hospitality that those visitors have complimented Ricks on — whether at the golf course, at the hotel where they are staying at, at the restaurant they dined at, or simply at the grocery store or convenience store as they picked up supplies for the week. As the American Junior Golf Association’s first tournament in Maryville wraps up today, our community can be proud of the impression we’ve made on our guests from around the world this week.

And that pride also comes with perspective and a healthy reminder of how special this community is.

Does that mean everything is perfect? Certainly not. Does that mean we should hold each other accountable and try to do better when better is possible? Absolutely.

But this community we all call home is capable of really leaving an impression on a visitor — and just because we are used to it doesn’t mean we should take it for granted.

Just one example of someone going above and beyond when they didn’t have to is Mozingo Lake Park Director Jordyn Greenhaw. Greenhaw looked out on the hill with the driving range and thought that white AJGA letters would look great. She went out on one of the hottest days of the summer and stenciled out the lettering.

The Parks and Recreation department then painted out the giant letters on the hill.

It’s not like the AJGA wasn’t coming if Greenhaw didn’t make those letters happen. It’s not like any of the golfers would have wondered where they were if they weren’t there. But Greenhaw correctly determined that they would be a nice touch and took it upon herself to do it.

With Tuesday’s primary elections in the rearview, sometimes it is good to remember that we are all in this together and we’ve got it pretty good.