Wednesday, April 14, 2021

2nd Week of Eastertide: Golf

In much wisdom is much vexation,

    and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.

     (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

I’ve been spending my fire-pit mornings reading Yalom’s The Schopenhauer Cure. I’m reading it at the recommendation of my ATF. What he recommends, I read. It is a good read mixing the early 19th century German philosopher with a twenty-first century therapy group. Schopenhauer reads like Ecclesiastes, only without Ecclesiastes’ sprinkling of simple, joyous gifts “from the hand of God” (Ecc 2:24-25)

In about an hour I’m heading up the road to play golf with some buddies. This will be my first golf in seven or so months—six months since my back surgery. It’s just nine holes at the fairgrounds—a simple pleasure “from the hand of God.” I’m leery of how many strokes I’ll pile up; but, certain that my buddies will be encouraging and happy to see me swinging away. I wonder if Schopenhauer ever knew such pleasures. Or, if he did, would he consider them too trivial. Maybe it is Easter that turns simple things into gifts “from the hand of God.”

 

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