Been There, Done That, Got the Scarlet Letter
So Tiger Woods is an uber celebrity that apparently has been having an affair. Can we say that we are shocked? Really?
This guy has been widely recognizable for 20 years. I know this, because my husband knows who he is. If I can say a name and my husband doesn’t cock his head to one side and look at me funny, then it is safe to say that 90% of Americans know this person. God love the man, but I doubt he’s heard of Glee.
Celebrity and money changes people, especially when you become a celebrity for being the best at something, you believe that translates into all aspects of your life. It doesn’t. Tiger rocks at golf, to an embarrassing level. He is king of the golf world. Now, put him in a normal situation, let’s say marriage. Few people rock at marriage to the level that he rocks at golf. He has spent his life becoming the best at golf, I would venture to say that relationships are often put on the back burner for that honor.
Put yourself in his shoes for a moment. When you are ANY place other than your home, you are king of the world. You walk into your house, you are human, you walk out you are god. It’s intoxicating.
It’s easy for the rest of us to sit back and be appalled. His celebrity does not grant him super powers that make him immune to sexual temptation, throw in millions of dollars and he’s not only human, he’s also a target. How many women in the world want to wow your husband? Sure there may be some, but they aren’t everywhere.
What it comes down to is that none of this is any of our business.
There is a scarlet letter man’s jacket hanging in my closet. Be shocked, be appalled, be understanding. You are not me. You have no idea what my life or situation was like. I did not ever want that distinction, had you asked me I would have said “I’d never”. Now, I am the first to say, “Yep, I could so very easily go there.” and I would, and I know this, and I haven’t.
Right now it’s Tiger’s turn to be naked at the feet of Jesus with a crowd surrounded waiting for their chance. Show him some grace. Show him some mercy. Drop your stones and walk away. There will be a time in your life when you are there too, maybe for a different reason, but you will be there. Ashamed and vulnerable, and in need of mercy.
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
excellent post. i can only minutely imagine what it must be like to be married to someone who has so much fame. women falling all over him and a wife at home who doesn’t like that he doesn’t put his socks in the dirty clothes hamper. what crap that must cause.
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December 3rd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
They are human just like you and me. So, I also can’t blame his wife for kicking his a**!
My FIL told me that he had heard Tiger was changing his name to Cheetah… hahahaha
But seriously, you are right – it is none of our business and it’s not our place to judge. People cheat on their spouses every day so I don’t know why everyone is so shocked when a celebrity does it… none of our business!
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December 3rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Well, of course you are right, but I still have to judge, a little (it’s what I do). It’s not just celebrities at Tiger’s level; I see it all the time at my job. Men (mostly) get a little power, more money than they’ve ever seen before, and suddenly they are untouchable. They have affairs, they buy their Rolexes, they trade the family SUV for a luxury sports car, and they conveneniently forget that they have wives and babies at home. Who can touch them? To sum up: not shocked that the dude cheated. But sick to death of this nauseating cliche.
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annie Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Yes, I agree. But also, there is a reason that marriages only last two years after a kid is born and I think we are all responsible for that. It is a nauseating cliche, but cliches and stereotypes are born in truth and we have to look at that.
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December 4th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Finally, someone said it. People act like fidelity is easy. It IS easy if you don’t put yourself in situations that make it difficult. For Tiger, that isn’t possible. I don’t excuse his actions. I think an affair is one of the very worst things you can do to someone. But it isn’t any of my business and, quite frankly, I really don’t care.
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