There are two things that I absolutely love in life: the outdoors and golf. In this blog, I am going to try and do something a bit different and show how the relationship between our passions and our love of nature can be analogous.
Everything worth doing in life requires hard work, patience, and perhaps a little bit of luck. Tracking down wild animals in the bush and golf are no different. Golf requires countless hours of practice, dedication, and a will to succeed no matter what obstacles you might encounter along the way. But then, like no other sport in the world, it comes at you like a bad penny and you play the worst round of your life. Game viewing comes with its up and downs, but then you find the one animal you have been looking for and you have hit the hole-in- one.
When I play the game of golf, I feel completely alive. Nature can provide us with this same feeling in a mysterious and puzzling way. All of us yearn for that feeling in our lives. This allure draws us to the bush like an elephant’s thirst for water. In the bush, there is a certain kind of magic to be found, and love and magic go hand-in- hand. Both augment the heart and feed the soul.
All of us long to wholly express ourselves and witness as others do the same.
In my case, this could be a great shot or watching a young person taking up the game for the first time. In nature, the equivalent is a first encounter with the elusive and shy leopard skulking through the grasses, waiting for the opportune moment to pounce on its prey; the majestic lion with its sonorous roar; or the intense cascades of elephants trumpeting. All of these elicit emotions that show us that there is a greater love out there—a common denominator—that brings us all together.
Participating in or doing the things we love creates a calming feeling which captivates others around you. This intoxicating love that nature draws out of everyone who has ever visited the bush will stay with them forever. It will become part of their daily life like every other pursuit or undertaking that they are fond of. The world that we live in craves love in all its dimensions and there is no more powerful representative than a person sharing the love of their passion. Make the most of this feeling, enjoy it, share it and live it.
I always love your great pictures and articles. This comparison to golf really hit home at golf and animals are what I love most. Thank you,
Thank you very much Joan! The two go hand in hand and nothing compares to it!