Hobbies of Then and Now...


Memoirs

Recently I was in a training session where participants were asked their hobbies. Hobbies like Cooking, Photography, Football, Travelling, and Learning were mentioned.

This got me thinking about hobbies now and hobbies years ago. Growing up some thirty something years ago in South East Nigeria, I was an adventurous child who tried all sorts from tree climbing to baking, snail hunting, learning the piano, philately, photography, knitting, sewing, drawing, painting, and flower gardening. I had collections - coins and paper money no longer in use, sea shells, Pacesetter novel series, stamps. Today, I have over a thousand stamps in my stamp album (see some few clips below)  and oh my, I lobbied for stamps in secondary school like my very life depended on it. I could exchange a meal for a postage stamp back then. Themes on stamps taught me a lot about – African nations, Animals, Anniversaries of queen of England, Birds, Cultural dance, Festivals, Flowers, Inventors and Inventions, Nations and Religions of the world, UN global missions, Olympic games.

My elder sister used to gather empty bottles and packets of perfumes, body lotions and powder of all shapes and sizes. She arranged them in a classroom setting on the table and taught them like they were students. She even flogged them when they did not answer questions. My sister is a teacher today. Indeed, life is interesting.

Then, there were no video or computer games. Mark Zukerberg was born about seven years after I was born so there was no facebook. No WhatsApp and smart phones, only good-old ‘grin grin’ NITEL telephones securely padlocked. We played Ludo, Whot, ncho and draft in turns and sang comically composed lyrics for anyone who came ‘last.’

With age, i dropped some of the hobbies. Some remained with me and metamorphosed into other interests which easily help me find fulfilment and great insight to things. In addition to the pleasure derived from hobbies, hobbies develop an aspect of life which aids one to become what God designed her for.  

When it seems you are unable to put a tab on what would make you tick untiringly like a clock, open your minds' eye and go down memory lane, search for things you found pleasure in doing as a child. Surely, there will be a pointer.

 Happy finding!  

NB: I will be glad to hear you share what hobbies you had as a child.












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