One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

BMW Ladies Championship — A Dramatic Final Round Today, October 25, I watched the final round of the LPGA BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Korea. I was disappointed to hear that Jin Young Ko, who had originally been expected to play, did not compete in the end. Six players also had to withdraw during the tournament because of injuries. Even professional golfers can have a hard time completing all four rounds. Golf is not easy, even for the best players in the world. And then came the final round! Hae-ran Ryu had been leading the tournament after three rounds. Could she keep her lead and win? Or would someone catch up with her? Nobody knew until the very end. Finally, Yuri Yoshida of Japan won the tournament with a total score of 17 under par, just one shot ahead of the runners-up. It was her first LPGA Tour victory, which made the win even more special. Hye-jin Choi played an excellent final round and finished tied for second with Hae-ran Ryu. Another r...

The sky looked a little strange this morning. It looked like it might rain soon. But Ruby and Rich needed their morning walk, so we went outside anyway. 😊 And today, we were really lucky. Not long after we started walking, a few raindrops began to fall. “Oh, it’s raining!” So I decided to turn around and go home. But, of course… Rich did not want to go home. 😂 Rich wanted to keep going. I wanted to go home. So I kept telling him, “Rich, it’s raining! It’s going to pour soon. Come on. Let’s go home.” Of course, Rich listened very carefully… but he still wanted to keep going. 😂 Ruby was completely different. She had already finished her job. Then she started pulling my leash, as if she were saying, “Mommy, let’s go home.” 😂 Luckily, Rich finished his job very quickly on our way home, too. Jackpot! Both dogs finished their jobs. And we had only walked for 15 minutes! 🐕🐕 On the way home, I kept singing a little song to them. 🎵 “Yummy food is waiting for you, Rich and Ruby. You two...

Something feels different these days. There were times when I felt like I was alone in the world. But that feeling has slowly faded. Since I started my blog, more and more people have quietly found my little corner of life. And now, I am getting close to 20,000 visitors . Only 299 more to go.   But honestly, the number is not the most important part. What makes me happy is realizing this: There are people somewhere in the world who think like me. I do not need to be surrounded by people all the time. I just like living my own life, and sometimes finding someone who quietly says, “Me too.” That is enough. Tomorrow is Chuseok, one of Korea's major holidays. But these days, families do not always gather in one place. People have their own lives, their own homes, and their own routines. So I will spend the holiday in my usual way. Today, I went to the golf range. I am slowly finding the swing feeling I had before my finger started hurting. And I remembered aga...

Something a little surprising has been happening lately. About 400 to 500 people now visit my blog every day. A few days ago, I had more than 500 visitors in one day for the first time. And yesterday, it happened again. My second 500-plus day. 😊 When I started this blog, I never expected anything like this. I simply wanted to write about my life. My life in Jeju. Golf. Swimming. My dogs, Ruby and Rich. Small things that happen during my day. And, of course, my thoughts about turning 60. At first, it was just like keeping a diary. But little by little, people started coming. People from Korea, the United States, France, Singapore, the UK, and other places have been reading my stories. Sometimes I think, “So, the ordinary life I am living every day has become a story that someone wants to read.” That thought makes me very grateful. When I turned 60, I thought life might become a little boring. I had already tried most of the things I wanted to try. I have never been a person with huge a...

Yesterday, I met two police officers I had gotten to know through an English interpretation job. Both were a little younger than me, and they looked very healthy and strong because they exercise regularly. To be honest, I went there hoping to get some good energy from them. But after talking with them, I felt like they had taken some of my energy instead. Haha. Both of them said that life had been very hard. Being a police officer, they told me, means dealing with much more than most people probably imagine. Of course, there are serious crimes and accidents. But there are also many smaller situations. Couples have arguments and call the police. People have emotional fights with each other. There are small traffic accidents where no one is seriously hurt. In Korea, if you call 112, the police come. If you call 119, someone comes to help. We are so used to this that we sometimes forget something very simple. The person who comes to help is also a person. After spending the whole day deal...

Yesterday, I was very busy and tired. Today, I finally rested until late. Now I am sitting down to prepare for my English class. The autumn weather is beautiful. Rich and Ruby are sleeping peacefully in the living room. It is just an ordinary afternoon. But while I was working and listening to a song I used to listen to in my 20s, something happened. My heart suddenly became soft. The song was very sad, and the singer’s husky voice touched something deep inside me. I felt a little sad. But at the same time, I felt very happy. Suddenly, I thought, “I am really living a peaceful life.” I am thankful that my body feels comfortable today. I am thankful for the heart and wisdom I have built over the years, which allow me to feel this kind of peace. And I am even thankful to myself for being able to enjoy such a small, ordinary moment. Nothing special happened today. I simply rested. I listened to music. My dogs are sleeping. And I am preparing for my class. That is all. But I really like th...