Writing about our hobbies

Hobbies say a lot about a person and should be included in your “book of me” (which everyone should have). You can talk about how you became interested in the hobby, why you enjoy it, and how it adds to your life.

I've seen people make a page about scrapbooking itself. Other hobbies people might have could be cooking, playing sports, knitting, or going out to dinner. I've even seen pages dedicated to favorite movies or TV shows.

For this layout, I chose to write about running. My daughter has started asking me every Saturday, “Are you going running, Mommy?” I tell her I run to work out, and she thinks people work out to make money so we can buy her food. I think she is confusing the word “work” with the idea the her dad goes to “work” everyday. This made me think about why I run for fun now that I have adult responsibilities and we have cars to take us where we need to go. That's why I thought it would be worthwhile trying to explain my little hobby in writing.

I have started to take pictures of objects, carefully composing them to create the layout I envision. I took a picture of my running shoes on our lawn to symbolize the theme (I certainly wasn't going to pose and have my husband take a picture of me running). I also wanted to show leaves on the ground because fall is my favorite time to run. I put the shoes on the lower left of the frame to make room for the title and journaling. I think a good image adds a lot to the page and is much more interesting than straight text. Lets face it, we live in a visually-oriented culture.

The journaling is very long, but I had a lot to say about the topic. Here it is:

I have been running for exercise for about 14 years now, even before I had a drivers' license. There have been stretches where I go out every day, then other times that I only go once a week or so. Of course, the weather has alot to do with how frequently I don the sneakers. I go more in the cooler months than the hotter months. I even go in the dead of winter with a hat and gloves. I don't do it to lose weight. I never time myself, and often do not even measure the distance I've covered. I don't stretch before or after I run. I just walk out the door and go. I don't consider it an achievement, just an enjoyable activity in and of itself.

So what is the point of jogging? I'm not being chased, nor am I chasing anyone. I end up the same place I started, seeming to accomplish nothing except aging myself about an hour.

For one thing, we're meant to run. God didn't invent the bicycle or elliptical machine. He designed legs that could run. I have had aches and pains in my joints after using man-made equipment, but never after running.

Even many fitness-minded individuals approach exercise in the wrong way. Most people at the gym are there to improve their appearance or their overall health, as they impatiently count down the minutes and seconds until the “workout” is over. TV's and music are needed to distract from the torture. This is not a sustainable approach, as many gym members stop going soon after committing to their exercise plan. Us outdoor joggers, on the other hand, consider running a lifelong activity and do it for the sheer enjoyment of it. Benefits such as weight loss and longevity come with it, but it is not the primary focus.

The body and mind are related, which becomes evident when jogging. It is impossible to feel sad or depressed while in motion. For this reason, I consider running to be a natural anti-depressant with no negative side effects. It has certainly worked for me. If the glass was half empty when I left, it is half full when I return. The physical exercise increases my alertness and mental clarity as well. Right after a good run is a great time to tackle a challenging project.

Running has always been a solitary activity for me. I sometimes wish my husband could join me. He insists that he will never run unless his is being chased. Maybe it's better that way. If we had to compromise on a pace, I would feel restless while he would feel exhausted. Alone, I can go my own pace and avoid both of these equally undesirable states.

As I enter the next decade in my life, I need to jog more than ever to feel youthful. It is easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle, pushing exercise down on my priority list as I juggle my adult responsibilities of caring for kids and home. But I'll always try to make time for it. No excuses.