Hobby Kids are Happy Kids

 

When you were a kid, what was your favorite activity? How did you feel when you did that thing? Was it stamp collecting? Are you a fan of cartoons or Disney characters? Do you like riding your bicycle on Sunday mornings? Would you like to enjoy swimming with your dad? Before work, life, and adulting get in the way, think about all the hobbies you once enjoyed.

When I watch my 13-year-old brother and his friend make bracelets for the art exhibitions by special students, I am often reminded of this quote by G.B. Shaw. One such evening, I whispered, "They look so happy! They had a spark in their eyes while making those bracelets. Their goal was to make sure that each bead they stitched wouldn’t break if the buyer dropped it by accident. Guess how they achieved that? By keeping a small "5-hand distance" between them while throwing beads at each other! It was clear to me that they were absolutely thrilled with the entire process, and that’s all you can ask for.

Each of us has a hobby, just as every kid has a hobby. You can dance, sing, or make a Rangoli. When you are exhausted and finally take a paintbrush to the canvas, it lifts up your spirits, and that is the power of a hobby. Because it lifts one's spirits when they are down, many people today choose to make it their career. Our minds convince themselves that the outcome will best represent who we are because we love doing it. Then, happiness undoubtedly follows.