RECREATING…

…reclaiming those small (often neglected) delights beyond our working life.

<Recreation> activity done for enjoyment when one is not working.

Dear Friends,

We come to the end of the working day - or perhaps, to the weekend.

How we underrate the small delights that come from participating in those things that we really enjoy, but which earn us neither money nor accolades!

Have you noticed that even the word ‘hobby’ (which simply means an activity or interest that we do regularly in our own time for relaxation or pleasure) has a kind of second-rate ring to it?  Hobbies are regarded in our working world as those unimportant activities that fill in our time when we are not working.

[Unless we ‘monetise’ them and then it’s suddenly OK.]

Even the word ‘hobby horse’, which was a young child’s toy, has become a denigrating word for an idea or activity that an adult is passionate about, but which holds no interest for anyone else.

[And yet take a work colleague out for coffee and ask them what they love doing ‘out of hours’. Watch how their eyes light up as they share their…