Joy for Phil and Amy Mickelson

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It was a happy moment watching Phil Mickelson, dressed in black, a pink ribbon embroidered into his golf cap, take his third Masters in Augusta on Sunday.

The Mickelson family have had a tough year –  Amy, his wife and Mary, his mother were both diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.  “In the last year, we’ve been through a lot and it’s been tough. And to be on the other end and feel this kind of jubilation is incredible,” said Mickelson, whose joy at having his wife by his side sharing his triumph was clear for all to see.

In the interview he did directly after his win, an emotional Mickelson told how “being able to share something so joyous after the year we’ve had was very special for us”. “I don’t normally shed tears over wins, and when Amy and I hugged, that was a very emotional moment for us and something that I’ll look back on and just cherish,” Mickelson said. “I’ll cherish every moment of this week.”

He spoke of how the excitement and happiness of the win gave them a lift from the day-to-day challenge of having an illness such as cancer. “We are fortunate long-term, but the meds that [Amy’s] been taking has been very difficult, and she didn’t feel well and she doesn’t have energy. This means so much to us to be able to share this.”

We all need those moments of joy in our lives. We may not win the Masters, or the Grand National or American Idol, but still those moments of transcendent joy are there in our everyday lives, if we have eyes to see. For me, it is moments in nature which help me transcend pain or sadness and give me hope, especially at this time of year. The new buds on the tree branches that have been bare all winter, the sparkle of light as it bounces off the rocks on the river bed, the song of the birds as they build their nests, the golden daffodils as they sway in the breeze, the new-born lambs gambolling in the fields – moments like these bring me joy. 

How about you? What are your moments of joy which help you transcend the everyday challenges of life?

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