The posts in this series are: kite-flying, skiing, skating, fishing, archery, mushrooming, celebrating New Year, gambling, party games, knitting, baking and traveling by train.
This has been a useful exercise since I had a chance not only to indulge in nostalgia, but reflect on why I stopped doing all these things. I have noticed that most of them have two features in common. Firstly, they are all connected to the place and time of my childhood and youth. We made things that weren't available, and we did things because there were no other options. When I moved to Sweden and things became available, they became less attractive. I have another example: we took incredible efforts to get hold of horoscopes, but when you can read them in any daily paper, what's the point?
Secondly, all the activities I
described are things that bring people together; and again, bring
together because there are few or no alternatives, of the kind people
have now when we spend most of our spare time one-to-one with computers or other
devices. I feel frustrated when I see members of my family sitting in
the same room, each with a device, often playing the same game or
even laughing at the same Facebook joke. We have lost something
important, and I am resisting it as much as I can, meeting people in
real life, spending quality time with people I love. I'd like to
belong to a knitting club, or do Saturday baking for charity, or find
someone to play scrabble with. Live scrabble, not virtual scrabble.
Maybe it's my own fault. I haven't been
active in finding fishing or skiing companions, and I have recently
been consistently choosing solitary pastimes, such as walking or
gardening.
Whatever the reason, I don't really
regret that I don't do any of these things, because obviously I am
doing other things instead. Read my blog if you want to know more.
3 comments:
Did you know there is a monthly "stitchers club" in Milton? I'm sure they'd be happy for you to bring knitting.
Thanks, Mary-Ann, I will investigate it.
It must be time we met for a drink and a natter again!
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