One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

For a while, I actually preferred playing golf with people I didn’t know to joining a regular golf group. Looking back, the reason was pretty simple. We played golf, enjoyed the round, and when the 18 holes were over, we said goodbye and went back to our own lives. There was no need to make another appointment. No need to keep matching everyone’s schedules. No need to take care of anyone. Most importantly, I could play golf when it was convenient for me. I used to think I simply liked it because it was easy and comfortable. But now I think there was something more. I liked the freedom and the space. I like people. And I certainly enjoy playing golf with good people. But liking someone doesn’t mean I have to be deeply involved in their life. And enjoying a golf group doesn’t mean I have to take responsibility for everything the group does. As I get older, I’ve come to appreciate something more and more: People need space, too. We can enjoy being together, help each other when needed, an...

This morning, as soon as I woke up, I said something to myself. “If I can’t avoid it, let’s enjoy it!!!!!!!!!!!!” These days, Ruby and Rich often wake me up one after another during the night. So I sometimes don’t get enough deep sleep, and I feel a little tired when I wake up. But what can I do? This is my life. So I decided to enjoy the day anyway. Today Was My Day to Work in My Field Today, I had decided to go to my field in Yong-su-ri. I packed my weed sprayer and headed out. But when I arrived, I was surprised. There were not many weeds. It had not rained for quite a while, and we had only had some rain during the last two days. The summer heat had also gone down a little. There were some weeds in one area, but instead of spraying weed killer, I decided to pull them out myself. Honestly, I don't feel completely comfortable using too much weed killer on my own land. So I spent about one hour pulling weeds by hand. And that wasn't all. I also cleaned up the ...

Sometimes, I don't feel like going to the swimming pool. I have to pack my swimsuit, get in the car, and drive there. Honestly, sometimes I think, “Oh… should I go today? I’m too lazy.” 😂 Then I change my mind. “Wait a minute. One swimming pool can give me the benefits of three different kinds of care!” Here is how I think about it. 1. Dermatology — A Natural Face and Full-Body Lift? Haha As we get older, not only our faces but also our bodies can lose some firmness. Of course, everyone is different. Some of it may simply come from our genes, too. 😊 But I have been swimming regularly for many years, and I feel that moving my whole body in the water has helped me keep my body firm. I actually remember something that happened when I was in my 40s. One day, a woman asked me, “Your body looks very firm. What is your secret?” I answered immediately. “I swim regularly.” Of course, maybe I was naturally lucky, too. Haha. But as we get older, I think we can really see differences betwee...

It rained a lot yesterday and today. I had actually been waiting for the rain. A while ago, I planted cabbage seeds in my little vegetable garden. Soon, tiny cabbages began growing everywhere, very close together. They were still baby cabbages, not big mature heads. I have been thinning them out little by little and eating the small ones as they grow. The problem is that bugs love cabbage. When the seedlings first appeared, I saw quite a few bugs, so I used a little insecticide. But then, almost no rain came. I kept watering the garden with tap water, but I still felt a little uneasy about eating the cabbages. So I waited. I wanted to wait for a good amount of rain before I started eating them. Finally, yesterday and today, we had plenty of rain. After the rain, I went out to my garden. The wet black Jeju stones were shining, and the little green cabbages were everywhere. Today, I picked a few of the baby cabbages. I washed them well and made a simple Korean soybean past...

About a year ago, I learned a new name for something happening inside my body: Rheumatoid arthritis. Honestly, I was scared. My finger joints had been swollen for quite a while, and eventually the pain became so severe that I could barely hold a golf club, let alone swing it. But the biggest problem for me was something else. “Does this mean I can never play golf again?” That thought made me surprisingly depressed. I thought I could handle almost anything else. But no golf? That was serious. 😂 If I could never play golf again, what was I supposed to do with the rest of my life? Would my golf clubs become decorations? Would the driving range become a place from my past? Would I have to go to the golf course just to watch other people play? I imagined everything. Looking back, it makes me laugh. But at the time, I was genuinely devastated. “This is the end of my golf career.” For a while, I was practically holding a funeral for my golf career. 😂 At first, I thought the finger problem w...

or a long time, I was the kind of person who chose the cheaper option whenever I bought something. Even when I liked something more expensive, I often thought, “Something a little cheaper will be fine.” If two things looked similar and did almost the same job, why spend more? I thought that was the smart and responsible way to live. But lately, something has changed. Last year, I replaced my golf clubs. I chose the XXIO Royal Edition — driver, woods, utility clubs, and irons. Since I love golf and actually use my clubs all the time, I decided to choose what I truly liked. And this year, I bought something much smaller. A Starbucks tumbler. It cost 38,000 won (US$28)😁😃. I actually thought about it for quite a while. I could have bought a similar tumbler for less. But this time, I asked myself three questions. Do I really like it? Will I use it for a long time? Will it actually make my everyday life a little better? The answer was yes to all three. So I bought it. And strangely enough,...