This Friday was one of the few days in August when the weather was bearable. The weather was more than just bearable, it was actually pleasant. So it was a good day to play golf. In fact, there are very few days when it is not good to play golf.

So I picked Dale up at six that Friday morning and we drove off to meet Jimmy at a golf course just across the state line in South Carolina, near Little River. We rushed through the drive-thru at McDonald’s and ordered our two senior coffees and our dollar sausage biscuits. Dale, always a big spender, picked up the $2.63 bill. (Yes, that was definitely before inflation.)

The golf course, which was located along the Intercoastal Waterway, was beautiful, challenging but not too difficult. After the first six holes, I looked at my scorecard and realized I had made bogey on every hole. (For non-golfers, please bear with me.) I had played quite well, I had a good chance of making par on every hole, but I couldn’t. I missed a short putt or let an approach shot land just wide of the green. That sort of thing.

Frustrated by the missed opportunities and knowing we were playing on a difficult course, I said to Dale, “I should have hit those pars when I had the chance because I know there are double bogies further down.”

Dale replied, “Yeah, it’s like life. You should take your chances while you can because you know there’s always going to be those double bogies.” That’s pretty profound about the golf course, isn’t it? By the way, I know some of you good golfers think you should make birdies while you can because there will be bogies later. That’s fine, you figure your way out according to your ability. I know mine.

I was right. I had a few double bogies on my round that day. But the weather was nice and we all had a great time. A few times we just stopped on the course and admired the amazing view. After playing, we all drove a few minutes to Calabash for lunch. (It was Dale’s idea.) We were back in Clinton by 3:30 that afternoon. On the drive back we talked about the usual things – politics, family, church and ECU football (but not necessarily in that order). It was a good day.

Dale Denning died that night of a sudden heart attack at the age of 61. When I think back to the time I spent with my friend, I remember many things he said. Things like “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission” and “No good deed goes unpunished.” But I think what he said on that last day will always stick with me. “Yeah, it’s a bit like life. You better take your chances while you can because you know there’s always going to be those double bogies.” And Dale made the most of his chances.

When the opportunity came, he took it. The opportunity to build a successful business was obvious to the people in our community. That was important to Dale, but it wasn’t the most important thing. More important was the opportunity to provide for his family and spend time with his wife and children. And he always found a way to not miss a game of golf or ball with his friends. When the opportunity came, he did his best not to miss it. Most of those opportunities didn’t just come along. They were the result of his hard work and preparation. And also the blessing of a life lived as best he could in obedience and faith in God.

Dale took the opportunity to help. Over the years I have heard from several people, “Many people depended on Dale.” That was true. But Dale did not see it as a burden, but as another opportunity. The opportunity to serve, to help, and to live out his Christian faith. It was faith that came from Dale taking the ultimate opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

People die and the years pass. Your memories of many of those who have died fade when you look in the rearview mirror. But the memories of others remain the same. That’s because they’re not in your rearview mirror. They’re in you.

The heart attack took Dale far too soon for the rest of us who knew him. But I believe the quality of a life is not measured by the number of years you live. It is how you live those years that counts. Next week will mark 12 years (has it been that long?) since Dale had that fatal double bogey. By the way, he would have wanted you to know that he shot par on his last hole.