Grateful

It's Thanksgiving morning - sunny but cool in Minnesota.  The Minnesota Vikings will be on TV in a bit and a wonderful turkey dinner awaits this afternoon.

It's a time to be grateful.  For family, friends, and moments to remember.  

Golf makes me grateful almost all of the time. ..I've looked back on things I've written and I can't help but smile over all of the experiences and memories golf has given me.  Writing this blog today happens because some folks in Texas, who had a golf web site, invited me to write a weekly blog.  I couldn't have been more grateful for the email from David at tees2greens, who said that there is a blog spot for me if I wanted one - I'm sure he had no idea what a gift he had given me. ​

Last year, when I realized that the site where I first started blogging had been removed, I emailed my fellow blogger, Sam, to see if I could download my posts - and they were kind enough to open it for a few days - there was a lot of cutting and pasting, but I was able to retrieve so many memories!  It started in March 2009 and it was the beginning of some of the most amazing golf therapy I could have asked for!  

I'm grinning right now, not because of the blogs I wrote, but of the blog posts of one of my favorite people I've never met, Sam Johnson.

My very first memory of reading Sam's blog was some comment he made about Phil Mickelson's "man-boobs".  I laughed out loud!!  Sam and I didn't always see eye to eye on golf thoughts, but there was no doubt in my mind he shared a passion for the game and all that came with it.  And I loved it when he made me think... or laugh.

The web site here we published our blog is gone now, but Sam published some of his favorite posts and you can buy the book on Amazon.  It's right here: Buy Sam's Book (PS, you can also buy his novel Thumbs on Amazon, too!)  The chapters might be a few  years old now, but the messages are universal.  

I'm smiling again because one of my other favorite friends I've never met, Greg, was a favorite commentor in the forum and on blog posts.  I'm so glad we still connect - and we WILL play golf together some time!!

And now I'm smiling again as I think of the people in my golf circle - I'm beyond blessed with great golf pals - even if we aren't able to play a round together often.  But when we do, it's awesome!!   This fall we had a great weekend golfing with friends we see once a year...and it was beyond fun!!  It reminded me that we all need more of that.

Summers for the past several years include women's golf scrambles that I get to play with one of my best golf pals, Deb.  She inspires me every time we play - she keeps me competitive and I keep her laughing!   We've had our highs and lows on the golf course, but each time we get to play it's a win for me!

I'm also from a golfing family - oh so many memories!!  It's been a few years since we've all golfed together, but golf is a bond that is always there for us.  My smile now comes straight from the heart.  

But for as much as I love spending time with great golf friends on the course, sometimes, for me, the greatest joy comes from just being on the golf course, alone, with the game.  Sometimes I'm joined by ipod shuffle, and other times it's just me and the birds, and maybe a deer or two.  That "me time"  refreshes my soul and makes me grateful.

My golf season may be over for the year, but I'm always smiling when I think all those things golf brings me.
Golf.
Grateful.

Blessing to you on this Thanksgiving and this holiday season.