One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

It took more than five years. Maybe it was because of one wrong decision I made in my life. For almost ten years, I went through a difficult period that I never expected to experience. At some point, I stopped liking photographs of myself. This was strange because I had always loved taking pictures. Whenever I went somewhere with friends, on a picnic, or to a gathering, I was usually the one carrying a camera. I loved capturing people's expressions and the little moments of a day. But one day, I simply stopped taking pictures. I didn't like my face in photographs anymore. At first, I thought it was because I was getting older. “Is this what happens when we grow older? Does our face really become less attractive?” It made me a little sad. I have always been a person who smiles a lot. But somewhere along the way, I noticed that I was frowning more often. Without even realizing it, I became uncomfortable whenever someone wanted to take my picture. Then yesterday, while playing gol...

Sometimes, I ask myself this question.  Why do new ideas keep coming to me?  Why can I continue writing story after story—about golf, English, and life—without feeling empty?  I think I finally understand the answer.  It is not because I am trying to create something new.  It is because I am revisiting something old.  The thoughts I write about today were not formed yesterday.  Many of them have been quietly growing inside me for decades.  Since my twenties, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about life.  When life felt difficult, I often asked myself: What is life really about?   I read many philosophers, hoping to find a clear answer.   But in the end, I realized something simple:  Even philosophers do not have a final answer. Perhaps the best we can do is this: To live fully.  To enjoy the present. To stay curious and grateful.  That may be enough. Looking back, I also realize something else....