I’ve struggled for years trying to create a hobby for myself. I believed that a hobby consisted of some physical activity which often involved building, creating or fixing something. As a child I was under the impression that every boy should have a hobby. The old saying “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” was often used as a reason to have a hobby. So as I understood it I could avoid spending eternity in Hades if I built model airplanes using glue. I remember thinking I had already made the trip when I, up to my elbows in stickiness, struggled to put the models together. I got glue on myself, the kitchen table, but very little on the airplane. The completed models never looked like the picture on the box. Rather they resembled a tragic accident. It was later discovered that some kids were creating their own Hell on earth by sniffing the airplane glue
There were boys in the neighborhood who God had blessed with the ability to build stuff. Where my friend Tom had constructed a clubhouse accessorized with secret trap doors and multiple levels, I opted for the more basic blankets-held-in-place-by-books-over-a-card table look. It wasn’t as showy – but it was easy and reasonably fool proof in assembly. This wonderful abode gave my brothers and me hours of fun until my mother decided that three months was long enough to have a club house in her basement.
Later on guys began working on their cars and trucks. I was again limited by my lack of interest and ability. I really liked enjoyed driving the cars – I just couldn’t fix them. Oh sure, I could handle the simple things like changing the radio station on my car – but that was about it. I still had no hobby.
Hunting and fishing have been tried – but again, no interest. It’s not a PETA style of objection that I have, I think my short attention span prevents me from spending too long of a time sitting in one spot waiting for something to happen.
I was once asked if I had a hobby that I really enjoyed. I took it as a two part question.
Woodworking - but I hate it. Yes I even went down that rode for a while. I refinished furniture in the barn for a while until one tormented evening I was refinishing a pie safe when I mistakenly thought that I could improve the doors. I took a little off of one, then the other, then the other was too long. So I kept at this insane exercise for two hours until I was left with a piece of furniture that could keep only four pies secure.
I always enjoyed reading but I resisted calling it a hobby. But my position is beginning to weaken. The school district where my daughter teaches has declared February “I Love To Read Month.” Jennifer, recognizing that her Dad could read, invited me in to read to her kindergarten class. Well here was something I could do. I scanned the children’s books on my book shelf and selected an old favorite: TheHappy Man And His Dump Truck. I also went to the kids section at the library and checked out The Great Pig Escape. Pigs make great stories.
I had the best day. I got to visit my daughter’s classroom and read to her kids. The kids loved the books I chose and sat around my chair giggling at the pictures of pigs while I read to them. I guess reading can be a hobby - especially when it is enjoyed.
No comments:
Post a Comment