Hobbies: What's Your Thing?

During lunch the other day I was talking with a coworker about hobbies. She asked what I feel should have been a simple question: ‘What’s your thing?’

The sad part is I didn’t have an immediate answer.

I quickly racked my brain trying to come up with something clever or personally identifying. I couldn’t in a reasonable amount of time, so I played it off a bit and said I would have to think about it.

When I asked her the same question, she didn’t hesitate and responded almost instantly: gardening.

Hmm … Why didn’t I so easily have an answer? Do I have a thing? Is something wrong with me if I don’t?

I love going to the movies and indulging in movie theater popcorn. My mom will agree – there’s just nothing quite like movie theater popcorn.

Can that be my thing?

I enjoy reading, but unfortunately I don’t do it nearly as often as I used to. Maybe I should pick it back up.

But is that my thing?

I love to travel when I have the time. I enjoy taking cycling and barre exercise classes. I collect salt and pepper shakers like they’re going out of style. And fun, sparkly rings are my guilty pleasure – so at some point in the future my niece will inherit some fun jewelry when she’s older.

But as far as my thing – I don’t know if any of that counts.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-24 states: “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”

I believe God wants us to appreciate life’s pleasures; otherwise would He have given us the ability to do so? I think we can all agree relaxation and rest does a body good and many hobbies provide this for us.

But I suppose there’s something we should remember when it comes to our hobbies.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

As long as your hobby doesn’t take over your life and take you away from faith and family, hobbies done right can be a great way to unwind from life’s daily stressors.

I love spending time with my friends and family, especially my sweet niece, Jude. When you’re a kid you sometimes take family time for granted, not knowing just how important it is until you lose someone.

The older I get the more I love being around my parents, siblings and extended family (including my friends) as often as possible, sharing stories and simply enjoying one another’s company. It’s amazing how fast the time seems to go when we’re all together – but it never ceases to amaze me just how much fun we all have.

I know it’s not quite the same, but I think that’ll be my thing, at least for now.

What’s your thing?