Golf: A Mini-Vacation For Care Givers

Golf is a piece of Heaven on Earth, it's become a mini-vacation for me these days.  Nine holes only takes about two hours, two hours that seems like a full day.

I'm grateful that my husband made sure I learned how to play golf; it was the best first date, a professional golf lesson.  The instructor saw into our future, calling me Brian's wife within the first 30 minutes or our first day out in the world together.

"Look at your wife, she has a good swing."  The instructor said to my date.  I was stunned.  I didn't know what to do but I did know I wasn't going to say something like, "He's not my husband!"  My date didn't say "She's not my wife!"... it was the beginning of a beautiful romance; it began on a golf course.

Golf has fond memories for me, it reminds me of love, happiness and inner peace.

Yesterday, we had a gift, a perfect day of golf, paid for by friends (a wedding gift from over 2 years ago) and someone to stay with my mother.  It was my brother Marty's idea.  Saturday I was having a rough day.  My mother was fine, it was me who was worn out and couldn't take another conversation about my dead father and brother.  I was tired of explaining my mom's hallucinations.  I needed a break, I needed to golf.

I called Marty on Saturday so that he could talk to my mom and my mom could complain to him about how horrible I am.  It seems to make her feel better when she can "rat me out" to someone, even if the squealing is caused because I pulled my mom away from her backyard "friends."

Marty later talked to me and suggested we skip the family gathering, leave Ma off with him while Brian and I play a round of golf.  Brilliant!

We got a 1pm tee time at Hickory Hills; the day was amazing.  We had lunch in the club house (first picture above was taken out the window where we were seated) and had a couple of Margarita's.  We were even able to take our unfinished drink on the course, they put our Maggie's in to-go cups.

Golfing with a buzz was fun.  We laughed.  We didn't keep score.  We were relaxed.  We had fun.

We played as a two-some.  The party behind us was twenty minutes behind.  The people playing in front of us were 5 minutes ahead.  The course was empty, except for a few parties of two, all out for fun and relaxation.

I never did finish my drink on the course.  Once the ice melted, the drink wasn't refreshing, which didn't matter because I was in my zone.

I hit pretty well.  A few worm burners, but they were hit straight.

I lost balls in water hazards, just because water hazards freak me out.  I know I need to get over it, it's on my fun to-do list of things to accomplish in this lifetime.

Brian had fun.  He shot a Birdie on the ninth.  I missed it, I was packing up my things.  I heard his cheer, which immediately made me look up.   The best part is he didn't realize it was a birdie until after when he went through each shot in his head.

It was a pleasant day and I highly recommend a round of golf for every care giver, it's a mini-vacation.  No one can reach you.  You are out in nature, hearing birds and the wind rustling through the leaves on the trees.  The warmth of the sun, cooled by the breeze that is beckoning fall.  Golf is Heaven on Earth.  It's the only place where I can lose thought completely while still in motion.

Today, because of that round of golf; I have the sense that I was away, far away, lost in my own world of peace where I was able to reconnect with my inner Godself.  For a short time, I felt peaceful and relaxed... it was exactly what my spirit needed.  I even saw a hawk, my favorite rapture who soared above me, echoing my souls message of inner peace creates outer peace.