H - Hobbies

H is for Hobbies

 The most beautiful word in all of the English Language.

Knitting

So much of our lives are spent in doing stuff to make a living - a roof over our head, food on the table, heat, water, food, cell phones, TV, education for a child.  This list is exhaustive if carried to completion.  We are often tied to jobs/professions by our need to provide the basics and a few of the nice-to-haves.  A responsibility of sorts, an expectation of society that we are self-supportive ... not relying on the charity of others.

All of that eats up decades of our lives.

Weaving

How wonderful to FINALLY be in a position to do something for ourselves that feeds our souls, that doesn't have to be squeezed in between doing laundry or driving to work.

Maybe it is something that provides no practical outcome other than

• to make us or others smile like painting a picture or setting up miniature train layouts,
• to relax us with the repetition of the movement of our hands like knitting and crocheting, 
• to distract us by watching sporting events or reading a book, 
• to inspire us with music and theater and travel, 
• to give us joy and satisfaction through volunteering and mentoring.  

Crochet

How wonderful is the world with such non-essential activities in it!

How amazing it is to reach the time of life when you have the opportunity

to do those things full time!!!

I feel sadness for folks who express a serious concern about filling their time as retired individuals.  They typically are people who are defined by their professions.  They have allowed their lives to be jailed within the box of 'work' only.  Once retired by stepping out of that box, they are at a true loss at what to do with their own precious hours - hours now that have a more visible expiration date somewhere in the future.

A lace shawl I knitted for my daughter.

Is it possible that in their professional lives they never once day-dreamed about doing fun stuff - stuff that has no real useful purpose other than to give us joy?

I believe Habit (another H word) plays a big role in how we conduct our selves in later years.  Habit is a non-thinking, non-decision making behavior.  If you are in individual who habitually thought 'outside the box of work' and squeezed Hobbies into your precious non-work hours - you can slip into retirement more easily.  If you segmented your life into work-and-more work ... for years ... retirement will be an effort, an actual stressor, and a time of confusion or total inactivity.

A knitted shawl for myself.

Make room in your life for Hobbies now - whatever your age!
You are worth it!

If you have long retirement

you will be glad you made the effort.

Note: Yes, all the pictures of my work - knitting, crochet and weaving!