I suffered a small setback in my new cancer-motivated life yesterday. I was on the golf course in Naples, Florida, and having an incredibly bad round when I realized that I was not playing in accordance with my new mantra — “savor each moment and don’t take anything for granted.”

Instead, I was nervous because I hadn’t played since early last summer, and I was afraid that I would embarass myself by playing poorly. When I am nervous on the golf course, I swing too fast and lose control of my swing. I realized that I was simply addressing the ball and hitting it without savoring and concentrating on each shot.

When I saw the light, I began to slow down my swing and hit the ball better. I turned the round around, from horrible to mediocre. I made three straight pars and at least felt a little better about my game. I know now that I have to adopt this new mantra with all activities. I cannot revert to my old ways. I must maintain my discipline.