WHEN OUR HOBBIES BECOME OUR OCCUPATIONS

In Life, some things we, always, do without being told… and, without any concern over time or returns… even, appreciation. We, always, pursue them just for the simple joy they give us… and, we do them with our full heart.

They are our hobbies. Call them interests… It makes no difference.

Normally, any pursuit ‘outside my regular occupation’ is considered to be our hobby. So, my regular occupation is teaching ‘commerce students’. If I do any activity, other than teaching, through my own self-interest, for sheer joy… like this blogging, counseling, poetry, writing notes in dairies, or photography, painting, sports – or, yes, the FB ‘time-pass’– all these can be branded as hobbies.

Some of my friends still collect old coins and stamps… Some have hundreds of mini-car models… Some keep fish and tortoise at home, some dogs and parrots… Some maintain gardens and plants… Some cook exotic dishes, some sing, some sketch… Some collect celebrity autographs… Some write letters to heads of nations and High and Mighty… There are those who go on treks to wild locations… Some make a hundred pilgrimages… Some play crossword and Sudoku… Some explore etymology – the story behind words…

When I was a little boy in my village, there was this man called John. Every one used to call him a ‘mad-man’! Now, one reason for this was his crazy pursuit: Creating, in his ‘special book’, a family tree for every house in the village:  Who came from where – he had it ready. Whose son married whom and how he branched out and to which direction… branches and their sub-branches… making it an exciting ready-rekoner. Now, this man did nothing for his living… The whole day, he orbited around the village, its every nook and corner… to find out and chronicle – who died when, who is born where, when and to whom…!

A business-savvy John, in today’s world, would have made a smart deal with Google or Wikipedia and made a killing out of this kind of crazy pursuit…

But, then, our John was John… He remained only a crazy nomad in our village!

“When you plan your career, consider your hobbies - your interests.” This is an old advice; it still holds good. 

For, if our hobbies turn into 

our occupations in life,

 life will be a smooth ride. 

No one needs to tell us

 what to do, when and how… 

No one needs to give us reminders… 

There will be no concern over 

returns or time… 

Heart is where work is… 

and work is where heart is!

 

I can tell you how I got into teaching: I loved it so much that I started teaching dozens of my friends and neighbors just as a hobby… All for free… it was all though the day; and, it was so even though we badly needed money at home. I loved teaching for the great joy it bought in my heart… I did it for the kind of confidence it infused in me… And, let me tell you this: before long, my hobby had turned into my occupation!

“Do what you love;” you must’ve certainly heard of it, “If you can not, love what you do!”

I am lucky that I have been, always, able to do – as an occupation - what my heart wanted to do as a hobby…

To follow your heart, you need faith…

And, I tell this to every one… whenever my hearts wants me to… yes, as a hobby...

Like, I do... now!

And, yes, before long... who know?

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Sanchita Chowdhury