Last week I was doing a grand scale cleaning of my room. It was high time that I had realised my room had become a store house for all sorts of things. So (by a proess called ‘selective-distortion’) I decided to do away with all the things that were unwanted – no matter how ‘good-looking’ they were or even if they promised some use in the future.
It was then that I came across my stamp-collection in the cupboard. Digging deeper I also found my small collection of coins; and the matchbox collection which my uncle had given me. And then it hit me that I had completely forgotten about them.
And not just me. It is striking how people of my age and below, have forgotten all about their ‘hobbies’. They no longer collect stamps or coins or anything. Hobbies have been reduced merely to drawing, singing and dancing. And even those who pursue these, are laughed at !
Over the past few years there has been a gradual increase in the race to grow ‘bigger than the boots’ and at like ‘grown ups’. Come evenings and you will rarely find students going to their drawing classes or to their yoga classes. Instead they will be burning the streets on their bikes in a so called ‘cool’ manner, trying to become a part of the increasing ‘Dhoom’ culture.
Just try asking a child today what ‘philately’ is. On my part I confess I had forgotten all about my stamps and coins long ago. For me it was the computer that made me oblivious of my other interests. My stamps and coins were replaced by cd’s and dvd’s.
Even the less demanding hobbies like reading and drawing have become endangered species. When watching movies and browsing the net are easily available at hand, then why would one care to flip endless pages ? Poetry and writing are also on the verge of oblivion. Television,Computer and Bikes are the three main sources of distraction from the better practises and hobbies. A teenager today knows the location of all showooms and the addresses of all thewebsites.But question him about libraries and reading-centres and he will be lost for words.
One common belief is that reading and hobbies are only meant for bright students; and that project-works and competetions for debates and quizzes are enough for the curricular activities of a student. And surprisingly , in many cases this belief, rather myth, is supported by some parents !
It is high time we took toll of how much we are leaving behind us by ignoring these small but virtuous habits called hobbies. I got my alarm bell a week ago. Have you got yours? I did not throw away my collections. Instead I have started adding to them. Do YOU still collect stamps ?”
