MY HOBBY
We are living in a world dominated by industry and machinery. Man, today, is so busy that he gets practically no leisure at all. He is a slave to the revolving wheels and seconds. He wants so utilize every second, every minute, in making money. He is dead to the beautiful panorama of natural beauty around him. The flowing rivulets, the singing birds or the dancing daffodils do not attract him. It is a tragic state of affairs. It was this type of life that made W.H. Davies cry out in agony:
“What is this life, it full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.”
Nobody can deny the importance of leisure in life. Rest is as important as work. Since we have very little leisure in life today, we must know how to make the best use of it. One must have some useful hobby to pursue in one’s leisure hours. Leisure can, in that case, become a source of real pleasure.
Hobby is an interesting pastime. It is a pursuit which we undertake in leisure for pleasure and for profit. The aim of hobby is not to earn money thought it may bring money indirectly. But different people amuse themselves with different hobbies. For example, my hobby may be story-writing whereas for another person it may be a profession.
There are many kinds of hobbies. One of them is collecting stamps and coins. Some people collect flowers and leaves. Some like gardening and clay-modelling. Some are fond of indoor games like chests and cards. Young men like outdoor games such as cricket, hockey or football. Hobbies not only provide pleasure but also educate the mind.
I have two hobbies. My first hobby is gardening. There is a big compound outside my house. On one side, I have made a small garden. I have made many beds of flowers. In the spring season, my garden is full of beautiful flowers. I have a separate plot for vegetables—carrots , potatoes, etc. I dig the earth with a space. IN the evening, I water the plants and remove the weeds. I sit under the trees and read my books. It is very pleasant to sit there.
My second hobby is photography. I have small camera. I take snaps of nearby sights. I develop my photographs at my own place. For this purpose, I have made a small dark room. I send my photos to different papers and magazines, so I get some money. Photography is a very paying hobby. I want to paint life as it is. I hope to succeed in this object. I plan to arrange an exhibition of my photographs in the surrounding villages and cities.
Recreation is not the only aim of hobbies. They give us knowledge which we do not get from textbooks. Besides being a mental tonic, hobbies are an excellent way of spending one’s leisure. It is said that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. One should not, therefore, remain idle.