Leisure time
Leisure time may be a problem with some but it is not so with me. I read in a book that Churchill painted during leisure hours. I feel attracted when I see some interesting handicraft piece anywhere. I feel curious to know how it was done.
Daily routine of studies and household duties often bore me. My mind looks for some diversion. Since my childhood I have seen my mother create various designs with her needle. Although my mother said those designs were too difficult for my age, yet I felt tempted to try the handicrafts done by girls of my age.
Once my father was charmed to see a TV cover I made. Since then he has been alert and prompt. He never refuses me money when I ask for fabric paint. Thus I devote my leisure time in pursuing these art and crafts. I have made several doormats from choirs of different colours. I made a pen-pencil stand for my father by rolling colourful calendar pages and cutting them into sizes. Once I saw my elder sister paint some art on a gramophone record. At one time gramophone records were popular and my parents bought their favourite songs. But now these are out of use and the records lie piled up in our corner. I also paint on them. Thus I fill up my leisure hours with such activities. I love cricket and follow the career of great cricketers. I have inherited this passion from my father and uncle. They were great cricket fans. It has, now becomes my hobby to get paper and magazine cuttings of photographs and news scoops concerning cricket.
Some of my friends make fun of me for my habits. They say that it is idle and useless. But I know that such practices during leisure hours are rewarding. The mind becomes tired with compulsory duties. These duties are generally devoid of pleasure as they put pressure on the mind. They are necessary because they discipline our mind. But it is with the mind as it is with the body. A tired body doing compulsory physical labour wants entertainment. So does the mind. These little activities bring nourishment to the mind. It is done with pleasure and profit.
Leisure time becomes a problem for those who are dull. Some of my friends waste their leisure time sleeping, by gossiping and by doing idle or useless things. They forget that such habits make life dull. There is an English proverb. All work and no play makes jack of a dull boy.
I am, however, lucky to have parents like mine. They do not scold me when I do these things. This practice has stimulated my curiosity. Wherever I go, I look out for curios. Once from a museum, I copied one art that I felt to be beautiful. My father had gifted me with a cut-piece set. As soon as I saw that craft in the museum I felt attracted. I sat with the gifted set. In course of handling those cut pieces I suddenly felt that what I was making was becoming similar to the museum piece. It was an old model of a car. My mind made up an image of that antique car and after several trials, it was done. When I showed it to my father, he was delighted. I felt he was proud for me.
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