S4. Are You an Amateur? Do You Pursue Deeply Some Activity for Love, Not Money?
Please take a few minutes to tell me and other readers about your primary amateur activity.
Dear friends,
The word amateur is often used to connote that the person is not very good at some activity. But properly, the term has nothing to do with being good at it or not; it has to do with loving it. The word derives from the Latin amare, to love. Think also of the French word amour or the English amorous.
To play is to do what you like to do, and to be an amateur is to play seriously and regularly at what you like to do, with an aim to do it well. I would like here to collect stories about amateur activities to contribute to future letters on amateurism.
If you are pursuing deeply, persistently, and passionately some activity because you love it, not for money (it’s OK if you make a little money from it), please take a few minutes to tell me and other readers about it in the comments section below. In your comment, please address these questions related to the activity:
1. What is the activity?
2. How long have you been engaged in it?
3. In an average week, how many hours do you devote to it?
4. What do you love about this activity?
I look forward to your story, if you have one to share.
With best wishes,
Peter
PS: Please share this with amateurs you know who might contribute their story. And, if you haven’t subscribed to Play Makes Us Human, please do that now.
I am a knitter, and have knit for at least an hour almost every day for the past 27 years. With nearly every project, I try to learn a new technique or skill. I recently designed a pattern, for the first time! (It was a reversible scarf with hearts on it for my little niece.)
People often tell me that I should sell my creations on Etsy or open up my own online shop, but I would never do that because, first, no one would be willing to pay for what high-quality yarns cost, and second, I would no longer be able to knit for my own enjoyment, which is what matters most to me.
There are many reasons that knitting is meaningful to me:
1. As mentioned above, it gives me the chance to stretch myself and learn something new.
2. It is a skill that is passed along from person to person. I learned to knit from a dear friend, and I have taught others to knit too. I’m in a craft group, and we share tips and help each other learn new stitches and techniques.
3. Knitting produces objects that we can wear with pride or give to other people. Knitted gifts connect us with each other!
4. Knitting allows us to support small businesses and craftspeople. I always buy yarn in small shops, and I often buy hand-dyed yarns made by local artisans.
5. Knitting is a creative outlet that is enjoyable for its own sake. I love the feel and colors of the yarns and the textures of the patterns.
Thank you for this opportunity to talk about amateurism! I’m looking forward to the other responses!
I draw. Goofy cartoons, realistic sketches, anything. I’ve been doing it all my life. I do it every day for at least half an hour but usually longer, whenever my hands are free and I have something to draw with. It brings me peace, and if I don’t or can’t do it, I can get unhappy. I’m happy to show anyone my drawings, but really it’s just for me.