Steve & Jenn

I got to golf with Steve this week. We played our home course of North Bellingham. It doesn't feel like it's been a year. We stepped right into our same routines on the course. Steve addicted me to golf about twelve years ago. He says it's retaliation for me addicting him to fantasy football.

That picture was the two of us from several years ago. Yes, that's ice on the pond behind us. It's telling that we'll play year round in weather that's not very inviting. Steve always tells me that he can take one of three things. Just one. Wind, rain, or cold. If there's two he's out. Only one of the three and he can still play.

This picture was from our round this week. Same location, but summertime. We had wind. It wasn't too cold and it didn't rain until....hole 17. So we're standing on the 17th tee box and I say, "Looks like we avoided the rain today". Immediately the sprinkles started. In the following twenty minutes we got soaked. Totally on me.

I miss golfing with Steve quite a bit. Glad we'll get in several rounds over the next two weeks. We have a two-man scramble this coming weekend and then a four day golf trip to Spokane the follow weekend. Not quite sure how to say it right. Steve is an important influence in my life. He has the right attitude all the time. It's something I've been working on this past few years. I appreciate his friendships quite a bit. That's not to say I don't appreciate others as well. Brian and I have been tight for over 30 years now. I could call him day or night and he would come running to help. Same for Tony. Same for Mike. I'm fortunate to have so many good friends in my life. I often worry I don't tell them all enough now much I appreciate them.

On Tuesday night this week I drove down to Maple Valley to see my buddy Jennifer. We coached hoops together for several years just over twenty years ago at Meridian High School. She's another important person in my life. It's a bummer that we've only seen each other once a year this past few years. She's a hard worker. She's passionate about whatever task is put in front of her. She has a heart the size of Alaska. The kids that we had on the basketball court played their asses of for her because they loved her. Plain and simple. She showed them that she cared about them as individuals and they returned that love with dedication on the court.

We played Druids Glen golf course today with her brothers Billy and Ken. Good times. I hit the crap out of my driver and really had only two bad holes on the day. Well, that's besides the five three-putts. Ouch. No kidding. Was on the edge of another great round of golf, but not today. Perhaps I'm saving it for the tournament this coming weekend. I can only hope.

I'll make the same drive down to Tacoma next Wednesday to play yet another round of golf, with Marni this time. The plan is to take mom down so she can visit with her two sisters. It's a solid four and a half hours driving each time, but totally worth it. Marni is like another sister. We're "accountability buddies". Not sure why, but we have comfortable conversations with each other that would be awkward with others. We both have issues that we're working on and it's great to have someone to check in with knowing we won't be judged, but instead know the other person will listen and give you honest feedback and encouragement.

Things are just things. They come and go. We collect them. We break them. We lose them. We buy more things. But the relationships we build in life? So much more precious. I'm glad that as I've aged I'm dedicating more of my time to cultivating relationships with those most important to me.