Definition of a hobby: something you enjoy doing when not working.
Definition of a collector: someone who collects things for fun.
Both definitions have the word doing something for fun or enjoyment in common. A collector and a hobby is nothing until a person brings it to life. From this point on I will refer to a hobby and collector, as one in the same. The common purpose or goal is to have fun and bring enjoyment to a person’s life which does not feel like work.
Does your job reflect the reason you were inspired to start your collection or a hobby or did your hobby inspire your vocation? If you are in a job that brings enjoyment then you may have subconsciously or consciously incorporated your hobby or collection into your education and work. What is precious to one may seem silly to another.
I could have been a great archeologist as I love the outdoors and collecting rocks, fossils and petrified or driftwood. Collecting rocks started when I was a youth that continued through adulthood. I searched everywhere and it did not matter if they came from my own yard or far away but the rock caught my eye out of the billions of rocks I saw.
It brings me fun and enjoyment and is a hobby and collection that is very real for me. It has been taken to new levels by creating unique rock gardens and landscapes. Sometimes the shape developed a specific use due to the design of the rock. This is morphing one thing I enjoy taking it to a new and healthy level.
The person that developed the pet rock probable started as a hobby or collection. Just by drawing a face on an ordinary common rock and giving it a name their hobby morphed it into a fantastic money making opportunity. The next time you see an infomercial about a simple invention it probably began from a person that's hobby was to doodle and/or experimented with things. Now they have invented something that others will buy.
Do I care what other think about my art or collection of rocks just to name a few personal hobbies? No, because it is what’s important to me and brings enjoyment to my life. Do hobbies or collections have an ending? I believe that each person morphs or develops their hobby or collection as they grow older and become more experienced and dedicated honing their unique craft.
There is not a specific ending to any hobby or collection because if you really gain enjoyment from what you are doing you thirst for knowledge and explore deeper. It may change forms but it never ends. A hobby or collection is healthy for the mind or life becomes monotonous. Going to work and doing the same things everyday is actually dangerous to your mental health.
We all must take a break from the monotony of life as why would we want to wake up, go to work and come home just to do it all over again. Depression and mental illness is a friend of monotony or being melancholy. To have no activity that brings joy or excitement breeds unhealthy mind and spirits. This leads to destructive behaviors including alcohol or drugs addiction as a way to escape reality.
When a parent fails to pay attention or encourage what may have been a healthy hobby or collection for their child is when addiction or unhealthy and negative thinking is explored to escape reality. You may have yelled at Bobby when he took apart your toaster in an attempt to explore how it worked. You should have recognized this as healthy growth and encouraged development by helping him identify and explore this healthy hobby. Bobby needed you to give him a broken appliance and let him try to make it work.
You wanted bobby to play sports or be like other kids but bobby’s talents did not fall in that area. Being unaware you force him to do what you want or because it follows the social norm. A power struggle is set up and now Bobby does drugs and you wonder why. I could have made a great archeologist if someone would have noticed that I loved gathering rocks and relished in their beauty.
This may have changed my life but no one could not see past the box that liking rocks and science could help me do anything in life. This closed thinking or narrow mindedness could have stopped an individual that could have changed the world or even just their life. The next time your child talks about something that interests them pay attention and give them the tools or ideas on how to explore it deeper.
It may turn out to be a passing fancy or this hobbies or collection could develop into a healthy mind, characteristic and individual. It could have morphed allowing their collections and hobbies to be a great person or even more important just a healthy and happy person.
The next time you get angry at your child for getting muddy just stop and think a mud creation could morph and be the process that develop this unique individual into an engineer. Always keep an open mind and be aware that hobbies and collections reflect individuality.
