Golf and the Writer’s Life
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By Tim Anderson
“It’s the process of writing and life that matters… We are trying to become sane along with our poems and stories.”
–Natalie Goldberg
I love to play golf. I also hate the game with a passion. Nothing else in life has ever held such power to send my spirits soaring in an instant of brilliance and, seconds later, crush my very soul. Nothing - except, of course, writing.
It’s time to confess. Actually, I should spend more time confessing. I’ve found that the old saying about confession being good for the soul really does seem to hold true. I always feel a bit better after a good confession. At times, even good enough to comfort those recently afflicted by the unthinking confession of a friend.
Today’s confession? I’m a mediocre golfer. On my good days. On my bad days, I’m an embarrassment to the wildlife whose existence is threatened by my wildly off course little, white pellets of doom. My apologies.
But…
I love to be out on the golf course. The open air, the breeze, the smell of freshly cut grass. The animals - survivors - who scamper about the edges of the fairways.
Watching the flight of the ball when I actually hit a decent shot is a thrill. There is that moment when the club connects with the ball, the sound of the smack of iron against ball cover, and then the ball soars through the air in a dazzling display. I stand and watch in awe, relishing the ticking away of each second, as my ball slices silently through the atmosphere. It’s a simple joy, capturing sight, and sound, and imagination in a single event.
Writing is sometimes like this.
The highs and lows can come at a dizzying pace. The process seems at once glorious and absurd. The results are often disappointing, at times even embarrassing. But - there is the process. The anxiety and anticipation of the empty page. The first keystroke, then the next. The utter delight when an emergent thought finds life in a moment of unexpected clarity.
It’s a simple joy…
Enjoy the journey.
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Tim Anderson specializes in writing health content and press releases. Check out his bio. and other samples of his work by clicking on his name above.
Topics: writer's life, Tim Anderson, The Medical Migrant, Uncategorized |