One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

Today, I practiced golf like a golfer in my twenties. Why? (smile) Let me tell you what happened. Am I Living Like a Little Old Lady? For a while, my fingers had been hurting, so I became very careful with my golf practice. If I hit a few good shots, I would stop. Even when I felt like practicing a little longer, I would tell myself to take it easy. Of course, taking care of my body is important. But little by little, I started getting bored with this careful way of living. Then one day, I suddenly realized something. Wait a minute! Am I living like a little old lady already? I'm only 60! I still consider myself young! (smile) When did I become so careful about everything? I was acting as if I had to save every bit of energy for some distant future. But that's not really me. I love golf. I love swinging freely and watching the ball fly. I want to keep improving my swing and enjoy the game for as long as I can. I don't want to spend so much time protecting myself that I forg...

I used to think that getting older meant slowing down. I thought that as I got older, I would naturally prefer quieter music, take things more slowly, and play golf a little more carefully. But now that I am 60, I am not so sure. I still love rock music. Of course, I enjoy quiet music too. There are days when I want something soft and peaceful. But sometimes, I still want a strong beat, a powerful guitar sound, and music that makes me feel alive. And golf? I definitely don't want to slow down my passion for golf. Yesterday, I practiced for about 80 minutes. My full swing wasn't working well at first. So I picked up my 7-iron and worked on my full swing for about 20 minutes. Again and again. I focused on the swing, the impact, and finishing the swing properly. Then something changed. During the last 20 minutes, my swing suddenly started feeling really good. The kind of swing I love. A sharp, clean sound came from the clubface. Crack! The impact felt great. The swing looked good....

Maybe the best part of my life is happening now. When I was younger, I had quite a few romantic ideas about marriage. Living with someone, supporting each other, loving each other, and building a life together. I think I once believed that was what a complete life was supposed to look like. I also spent quite a bit of time wondering, “Who is my other half?” Looking back, I realize I wandered emotionally more than I knew at the time. But now, when I look back, I sometimes think my father understood me better than I understood myself. My father passed away last year at the age of 90. When I was studying in the United States, I remember having one phone conversation with him. My father was a very quiet man. He wasn't someone who talked much. So when I called home, I usually chatted away with my mother, while my father quietly listened nearby. But that day, my father said something to me. “My daughter, I think you shouldn't get married. But you should definitely fall in love.” At t...

Yesterday, I met a close older friend for lunch. We hadn’t seen each other for a little while, so we had a lot to talk about. These days, one of our favorite topics is surprisingly simple: weeds. 😂 Yes, weeds. We talk about how to get rid of them, how quickly they grow, and how much easier life becomes when the weeds are under control. Then, naturally, our conversation moves to the trees we grow in our fields. She grows olive trees, and I have quite a bit of experience growing Hwangchil trees. Since my mother was a farmer, I grew up hearing and learning a lot about farming, so I sometimes find myself giving her little pieces of advice. For example, when I first planted my Hwangchil trees, I learned how important it was to help the roots settle well into the ground. Jeju is famous for its strong winds. If a young tree isn't planted firmly enough and its roots aren't well established, the tree can keep shaking in the wind—and sometimes, it may not survive. So there we were, sit...