I hear the baskets beckoning

from the forest floor

And every time I answer them

It soothes me to my core

The chains awaiting patiently,

My disc that I will fling

To fill that void of silence

And then to hear them sing

The sweetest song of victory

The anthem of my life;

Letting go of doubtfulness,

Sufferings and strife

Hard reset for my soul

Clean slate for here and now

Disc Golf- you are beautiful

Go ahead and take a bow

Take my boredom, take my talents,

Take my money, take my time

Just promise me that forever

My husband and I started playing disc golf in 2000. We’d heard there was a new course behind our old school so we got a babysitter and had our first official date as parents up there. Got a few cheap discs and left all of our worries behind. Being in those magical woods throwing round circles at chains became the highlight of our week and over the next 20 years we developed quite a bond with our community there.

Getting to see our Black Mouse friends once a week was like getting to see the sun after 6 days of rain. This ritual is the reason we’ve never moved to somewhere more affordable. There’s a hundred and one reasons to move but one reason to stay, and that was Black Mouse. Since its been gone, I’ve felt detached to the very mountains I grew up in and raised my kids in.

I pass my Black Mouse crew on the road or catch a glimpse of them in stores and have to choke back tears. When I drive past SLV, I hear the song, “This used to be my playground” and “nothing compares to you.” It’s hard for me to show up on Instagram because I’m @faithofthemouse but what am I now?

I painted the owl box in the garden by hole 1, the sign on hole 1, made bag tags for years, designed logos for fundraiser discs which were sold in tournaments up there to raise funds for hurting community members to help ease their pain. I hid kindness rocks up there to bring joy to others which brought joy to me.

There is a gigantic hole in my heart where Black Mouse belongs and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help bring it back. The greatest need we all have is just to belong. I found that up there and miss it like nobody’s business.

The hardest part is getting the right people to care so thank you so much for listening to all these words. Chapter book by Faith Green of Brookdale, aka FaithOfTheMouse

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