Are We Any Better than Tiger Woods?

Published: February 20, 2010

On February 18, 2010, Tiger Woods made a public apology for his behavior. Just in case you were in a coma or on the moon and haven't heard of Tiger's situation, here's a brief synopsis:

Tiger Woods, a world-class golfer, fooled around on his wife for many years with many women. I'm not sure how many women there were, but you needed more than one hand to count them all. He had year-long relationships with these women. It became a very public embarrassment. So much so that he pulled away from golf indefinitely.

Tiger Wood's Apology

Yesterday's apology was from a repentant man. You could see in his eyes and in his face that he had a few demons to deal with. He is undergoing treatment for his problems and publicly took the blame for everything that he did. He apologized to his wife, family, friends, business partners, fans and parents of young children who looked up to him.

His apology was heart-felt, complete and in true Tiger style, well thought out and effective. He quieted, at least for the moment, the media skeptics. He took no questions but answered all pertinent questions in his apology. He reiterated that the problem he's undergoing is between him and his wife. There is no need for the media to get involved in his personal struggle to mend his marriage.

Relating to Tiger's Transgressions

Watching Tiger made me realize that he's on the way to healing. He had a very public embarrassment and his transgressions were broadcast around the world. He was unable to hide from his sins as every media outlet did its best to keep it front and center. TV news, the radio, the Internet, the newspaper, no matter where you looked, Tiger and his adulterous life was everywhere.

Unlike the rest of us, whose sins are hidden (at least to some degree), Tiger had a public outing. As a result of that very public outing, he took 3 months to reflect, repent and strategize on how to get well and deal with his demons.

Hiding in Anonymity

The public, on the other hand, gets to continue to sweep sins under the rug. Our sins continue to pollute our lives, our minds, and our actions. Tiger's very public outing did him a favor. It made him address his problems publicly and ask for help. As for the rest of us, we get to keep sweeping ours under the rug attempting to hide them while we judge others.

Tiger as an Inspiration

In my opinion, Tiger's apology and apparent repentance are an inspiration. Rather than wait until things reach a feverish pitch, I'd like to address some of my transgressions now. I'll be watching Tiger's progress, with interest, and comparing his journey to my own. In an odd way, Tiger and I are taking these next few steps together. Go Tiger! I'm rooting for you!

That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking with it!

About the Author: I am Felicia A. Williams, a wife, mom, grandma, writer and eternal student.

Last Modified: 25 November 2020