One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

Two weeks ago, I was driving to a golf course on a mountain road in Jeju. I was driving at around 65 km/h, following the speed limit, and I was in a good mood. I was looking forward to my round. Then, suddenly, a truck came out from the right. It happened so fast. I slammed on the brakes with all my strength and hit the horn as loudly as I could. For a moment, I honestly thought, This could have been a very serious accident. If I had reacted just one second later, things could have been completely different. There was also a small truck behind me, so I couldn't simply avoid the situation. Thankfully, the driver behind me reacted well, too. The truck that came out from the right, however, just drove away as if nothing had happened. I was stunned. But I didn't want to ruin my golf day. So I took a deep breath, calmed myself down, and went on to the golf course. I didn't tell anyone. I thought, Everyone came here to enjoy a good day of golf. Why bring this scary story into it?...

I Enjoy My Life on My Own Today, everything seemed to fall into place. About two weeks ago, around Chuseok, I bought a tumbler. It came with a drink coupon, and I had kept it for about two weeks. Today, I suddenly thought, “I’d better use it before I lose it.” 😄 So I went to a café and ordered a café latte. I filled my favorite green tumbler with it. My first little extra of the day: a free café latte. It was something small, but it made me happy. Then I noticed a small problem with my glasses. I thought, “I should get this fixed today.” So I went to my regular optician. I don’t go there very often, but it is the shop I have used for a long time whenever I need something for my glasses. They fixed my glasses right away. For free. But that wasn’t the end of it. I was looking at some sports sunglasses because I wanted a pair for golf. I found one I really liked. I said, “These would be nice for golf.” The owner said, “Just take them. They’re not that expensive.”...

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...

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. ...

Maybe Life Really Is About How I Choose to See It A week ago, we had very strong winds, almost like a typhoon. So today, I finally decided to go to my field and check my Hwangchil trees. I wanted to see if any trees had fallen and how much the weeds had grown. I got into my car and started driving. Today, I wasn't planning to work very hard. I stopped at a café on the way and got an iced café latte and a sweet pastry. I thought I would just have a light and easy day at the field. Then, about 20 minutes into the drive, I suddenly realized something. Oops. I forgot my work boots! 😂 I looked down at my feet. I was wearing summer slippers. I thought about turning the car around and going home. Then I remembered something. I had a pair of golf shoes in my trunk! Problem solved. Today, I was going to work in my golf shoes. 😂 My Car Became a Karaoke Room The drive to my field takes almost an hour, and I know the road very well. Sometimes, even a beautiful road can feel boring when you ...