Hobby

Reading (and sometimes, writing) is not typically considered an exciting hobby. Certainly, when compared to skydiving, or scuba diving, or running marathons, or any variety of other activities, it might seem tame and passive.

There’s rarely a risk associated with opening a book. There’s no parachute to worry about as you jump from the plane. No concern that your carefully-crafted soufflé will collapse. No fear that the other team will kick the ball and win in the final minutes of the game.

So, why is reading (and sometimes, writing) such a popular hobby?

I can’t speak for all Readers and Writers. But I can lift a cuppa to celebrate the joy that comes to me when I read (and sometimes, write). And, I can share this quote from Anne Lamott, which captures my feelings on the matter.

“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.”