Hobbies maketh a man

For a better part of 40 years, I have had one hobby or several hobbies going on in my life. When I was still in school, I kept Siamese fighting fish in individual bottles under my bed.
Apparently, in the darkness that prevailed beneath my bed, brought out the best and the brightest colours in those Siamese fighting fish. I believe it has something to do with Nature overcompensating for the gloom in the watery environs.
Then years later, I graduated to flying kites. My neighbourhood chums and I bought special glue and pounded light bulbs to extract the powdery substance that is actually minute glass shards.
The glass powder was used to coat the kite string which would prove to be deadly against rival kites in the air. It was one of those thrilling times in a child's life when conquering another kite was one of the best feelings that one could experience.
Then, it was marbles in all colours and shapes. Next came the spiders, fighting ones, that it. If the animal and insect protection society was in existence then, all of us little guilty ones would have had been given a long lecture.
But back in those carefree, guiltless days, almost anything goes. If I must add, nothing unlawful took place.
What I am trying to say is hobbies are great for sanity, for learning and for just plain self-entertainment. When you are just a kiddo, and you don't have too many nickels to your name, you just have to invent your own game.
Luckily for me, I had plenty of those. Now on looking back, I almost pity the modern children. Most of their games are computer-related or electronic in nature. What a pity that they don't have to using their grey matter. I am not saying that we were smarter than them but if you have to source for your own infotainment and entertainment, you tend to learn a bit more, in a positive way.
Even now, as I roam the perimeters of an adult world, I still have my hobbies. Of course, over the decades, much has evolved. My hobbies are different from the time when I was still in shorts.

Nevertheless, the hobbies are there. A little bit more sophisticated, costing a little more maybe but the fun and passion for them are still there. I have been collecting First Day Covers for at least three decades.

I get much enjoyment out of this simple hobby. In fact, I have a standing order at the main Post Office regarding the regular issuance of First Day Covers. It is a great hobby.

It won't make me rich but it definitely make me smile. These days, for some people there are hardly any reason to smile. I smile all the time, partly because I have so many hobbies.

My wife is always saying that a man of my age with so many hobbies is a bit unusual. I took that as a compliment. Can you imagine coming home after a hard day's work at the office and returning to your study room with nothing much in mind except the worry that you have been unable to unload in the office?

That has surely got to be one of the saddest things that can descend on a decent, working man.

People like to say "get a life". I prefer the line, "get a hobby". You will never know where that may lead you. But certainly, it will keep you from dwelling on issues that you have absolutely no control over.

If there were no place on earth for hobbies, God would not have put that in our heads, as I have always said. So get a hobby and then you will naturally get a life.