One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

This morning, I suddenly became curious about the name of my favorite coffee drink. Why do we call it a café latte instead of a coffee latte ? I am 60 years old, and I have enjoyed café lattes for many years. But somehow, I had never really thought about the name! Whenever I go golfing, I often make a café latte at home and put it in my thermal mug. Sometimes, I stop at a café on the way to the golf course and get one to go. It has been part of my golfing routine for a long time. And today, on a rainy morning, this simple question suddenly came to mind. Why café latte, not coffee latte? So, I looked it up. The original name is Italian: caffè latte . In Italian, caffè means coffee, and latte means milk. Together, they mean coffee with milk. In English-speaking countries, people often call it a latte for short. You may also see café latte on café menus. Now I understand why! It is funny that I have enjoyed this drink for so many years without wondering about its name. And here I am,...

I’m not someone who never cries. I sometimes tear up when I watch a sad movie or see someone going through a difficult time. But when something happens to me, I become much stronger. I usually tell myself, “Don’t cry. Get yourself together.” And then I do what I need to do. But there were only two times in my life when I really, really cried. The first time was when I was a freshman in college. I had been dating my first love for about a year, and then we broke up. I cried a lot. The second time was much later. I had a little Yorkshire Terrier who lived with me for eight years. She became very sick and had to receive IV fluids. Eventually, she crossed the rainbow bridge. At first, I didn’t cry. I held everything inside for weeks. Then one day, a friend told me, “If you’re too sad, just cry.” A few days later, I was walking outside when suddenly, all my emotions came out. I started sobbing loudly right there on the street. People passing by probably thought, “What happened to that woman...

Nobody is happy every day. Me, either.  😂 This morning, I played nine holes with some good golfing friends. They are always friendly and nice. They are a little older than me, but they are all passionate golfers. The weather was beautiful, the course was peaceful, and we simply enjoyed playing together. Honestly, just being able to enjoy a beautiful morning like this should have been enough to make me happy. But apparently, I wanted more. 😂 My golf swing has been a little inconsistent lately. Sometimes I hit a really clean, beautiful shot, and I think, “Ah, my swing is finally coming back.” But the next day, it somehow disappears again. Today, after nine holes, I decided to practice some more. I had 90 minutes at the range. I practiced for about an hour. But my body just wasn't cooperating. I knew what I was trying to do. At the beginning of my backswing, I need to let my lower body start naturally and then let my upper body follow. But I was keeping my lower body too still a...

When I was young, I often said things like, “Without you, I can’t live.” I heard those words in songs, poems, and love stories. And honestly, I probably believed them, too. But after living for 60 years, I have come to see life a little differently. Life is my own stage. Without me, nothing matters at all. I don't mean that the world cannot exist without me. I mean that my life cannot have meaning if I am not taking care of myself and living my own life. I often tell my students this when they don't study very hard. Before telling them to study more, I want them to know something more important: You are important. You are the main character in your own life. Your health is for you. Your education is for you. Your dreams are for you. And I think the most basic way to take care of yourself is surprisingly simple. Eat well. So this morning, I made a really good breakfast. I cooked a pot of mixed-grain rice with beans and other grains, and I was happy to eat it while it was still w...

I had several things to do today. My main appointment was interpreting for the police. It took longer than I expected, but luckily, the police station was close to a dermatologist’s office, so I stopped by and picked up a medicine I have been using for dark spots. I got those spots from years of playing golf in the sun. Thankfully, the medicine works quite well, so I keep using it. Then I picked up a week’s worth of medicine for Ruby. Ruby sometimes gets a bladder infection when the weather gets hot, usually about once a year. I noticed it on Sunday, so I called my regular animal hospital in advance. They know Ruby well, so they prepared the medicine for me. I just stopped by and picked it up on my way home. I also had some business at the bank, so I stopped there too. By the time I finally got home, it was 12:30 p.m. As soon as I arrived, I took Ruby and Rich out for a quick bathroom walk. I left home at 8 a.m. and took care of several things all at once. I guess I’m 60 only in age. ...

Small Things, Big Smiles This morning started with a few very ordinary things, but somehow, they made me really happy. 😂 1. Fixing My Golf Watch Band ⛳⌚ Yesterday, while I was playing golf, my golf watch band suddenly came off. Because it was so hot and I was sweating a lot, I should have wiped the band after playing. But I simply charged the watch and kept using it without thinking much about it. After about a year, the band finally gave up. 😂 Luckily, it came off right when I was sitting in the golf cart. Talk about bad luck turning into good luck! I carefully put it in my golf bag and decided to replace it this morning. Fortunately, there was an extra band in the box. But then… “How am I supposed to replace this?” YouTube to the rescue! I put on my glasses and wrestled with it for more than 30 minutes. And finally… Done! I replaced it myself! 😂👏 It was such a small thing, but I felt strangely proud of myself. 2. The Six-Meter Clothesline That Was One Meter Too Short 😂 My outdo...