Mark Maurer, the operations assistant at Notre Dame’s Burke Golf Course, tries to live by the motto “Green Grass and Blue Skies.”
That’s what he hopes to see at Burke when he checks in each morning. And that’s what he tries to envision while living his life.
Think positive. Stay upbeat. See the bright side.
That’s not easy when you are living with multiple sclerosis. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with this disabling disease that affects one’s central nervous system and can make any movement difficult.
During the last couple of years, Mark has had to give up a lot of physical activity — like basketball, running and, yes, golf.
“I miss the hell out of not playing,” he says. “It’s been two years. I’m still holding out hope, though.”
When Mark first found out he had MS, he went through some difficult times. Occasionally, he still can get pretty low. “Sometimes it’s ‘woe is me.’ You get down, look at yourself in the mirror. Crying is OK. I’m a big guy. I cry. It doesn’t mean (crud). It means you’re a caring human being.”
And he does care — trying to make golf at Burke a positive experience for those who come to play on Notre Dame’s nine-hole course on campus. Not focusing on his own problems and assisting others has helped him stay more positive.
“The job is really two-fold,” he says. “It’s great exercise for me and gets me out of the house, and actually lets me interact with a lot of great people.”
Walking has become more difficult for Mark over the last year. “Yes, it has, but I’m in a better place mentally. I understand the sensations in my legs and the progression and I have options. Managing Burke has given me a sense of purpose I didn’t think I’d see again. I now realize I can do a lot. It’s just different.”
What isn’t different is the support he continues to get from his wife, Lori, and Notre Dame, including Kyle Demeter and Katy Sharp at Warren Golf Course on the other side of campus.
“MS has given me a unique perspective,” he adds. “It’s cliché to say life is short, but it truly is. After 63 years of living, I think I’m starting to figure it out. It’s simple. Be responsible for yourself and your actions. Be a good person, a good human. Do something that would make your mother, father and society proud.”
One of the ways Mark can accomplish that is to help raise awareness for people with MS. “With a little help, we can actually be productive, and society can see us not as a drag to society, but that we can do things.”
He says his life revolves around faith, family and fairways. We could add a fourth F to that mix: Fortitude.
All that helps him to stay on … well, yes, an even par.