"Everyone should have a profession, a talent, and a hobby."
Frederick M. Finney
A profession is an occupation or vocation which requires educational training in the
sciences, liberal arts or a specialized field. When I met my husband I had only one of
these attributes, a profession. I had a Master of Social Work degree. I did not have an
identifiable hobby or talent.
My search for a hobby led me to explore collectables, elephant figurines, bells
and women handkerchiefs. After collecting a few elephants and bells, my
interest subsidized. This was in the early 70s. Elephants were collected in the
tradition of my sorority. Bells were plentiful and non-expensive.
Women's practice of using handkerchiefs was being abandoned for Kleenex tissues.
Handkerchiefs were pretty, came in a variety of designs, fabrics, colors and were
easily available and inexpensive at Thrift Stores.
I collected about sixty-five handkerchiefs but my interest waned. I placed them in a
dresser drawer where they remained. Then in 1973, I purchased my first U.S.
African-American commemorative stamp. It was an eight cent Henry O. Tanner stamp.
The artistic design combined with history captivated my interest. I had an interest in
history dating back to junior high and high school. Collecting African-American
postage stamps (philately) became an ideal hobby for me.
A hobby is generally regarded as an activity of interest, beyond one's job, primarily
for pleasure. Do you know anyone who has a hobby? Do you know anyone who
collects for fun? Has anyone ever encouraged you to have a collection? No one had
actively encouraged me to have a hobby, although my mother saved silver dollars.
A talent is a natural or acquired ability to do something well. There are a lot of people
in the world with extraordinary talent both natural and acquired.
My talent was acquired over many years. It was awakened in me through a college
course in English Composition which sparked my creativity for expression through
writing. While at college, I won an Essay Writing Contest. This gave me confidence.
But, I did not pursue writing until my husband's challenge that everyone should have
a profession, a talent, and a hobby." He certainly had all three.
Practice, encouragement, and support helped bring my talent for writing to
fruition, A profession, talent, and hobby can well-equip and enrich one's life.
