The ice cream commercial

Life is the bowl of ice cream you need to eat on the spot or you’ll end up having dairy soup. It simply isn’t the same.

I remember watching a commercial abroad where a husband comes home to find the kitchen in a mess. He proceeds to the bedroom where he finds his young beautiful wife sitting on the bed holding an empty bowl and a spoon. Seeing the confused look in her husband’s eyes, the wife immediately replies: “I ate all the ice cream and I don’t feel guilty about it.”

The statement says it all for me.

As responsible individuals, we all go about with a burden to do the right thing. In fact it has become the norm for us to go through life “making sacrifices”. In our responsible world it is generally about “others” first before us. In fact a lot of us have a hard time understanding how some people can spend so much time in artistic pursuits, sports, hobbies or church work rather than put their time and money on their family, at work or in business.

As a consequence we go through life feeling like we’re cheating or somehow “guilty” whenever we indulge in an activity or a hobby and actually enjoy ourselves. I suspect that we all dump a load of guilt on anyone whose having more fun or is more carefree than the rest of us.

I remember a story I read I think in “The purpose driven life” or something similar, about a woman who was really into pottery. She really enjoyed everyday at her “potter’s wheel” and she got so much satisfaction from the creative and artistic process that she experienced in her “hobby”.

Unfortunately, alongside the joy and satisfaction came a pervasive sense of guilt about spending so much time and having so much joy from pottery. In addition to this, her hobby cost money and she really didn’t have anything to show in terms of making money or a profit as people expect in the world. The guilt got so bad that she had to go to her Pastor for advice. Fortunately for the woman, her Pastor was a person of great wisdom and abundant understanding.

The Pastor explained to her that the sense of guilt is often the condemnation of the devil who hates it when we enjoy the talents and the gifts that God has given us. To bring it to the next level, the Pastor challenged the lady’s perspective by asking: have you ever considered that when you express your artistic talents with great joy and immense satisfaction, this is also your way of worshiping and praising God?

After that revelation, the woman became so committed to her work as a potter and as an artist, that it did not take long before she became a nationally recognized artist in the US, which in turn increased the market value of her works that now commands thousands of dollars.

Lately, I have found myself reflecting on these things because just like that lady, the devil has been busy dumping on me about being under-employed or not as driven as my colleagues in the broadcast media etc. As expected he sure does not want me enjoying any of my “hobbies” or artistic pursuits. I was almost convinced that I had no business fixing junked cars or starting up my little experimental organic garden, or enrolling in my daughter’s art class under Fernando Sena.

Thank God, I was reminded of the potter’s story as well as the adage that if you find a job you really enjoy, you will not have worked one day in your life. I love to write, I love being a motivational speaker, I enjoy hosting events. But the one thing I enjoy the most is walking into a rundown house or building and immediately transforming it into something wonderful in my mind.

I truly relish a quest, the search for some hidden treasure like an old or abandoned car. It is a great accomplishment to get them not through plain cash but good old bargaining or a shared dream to see such cars back on the road someday. I certainly enjoy having eight year olds as my classmates, especially my daughter who never fails to report me for not doing my homework. Some things never change.

In retaliation to the put downs of the devil, let me just point out to all of you, particularly the married couples or parents with grown children, that it would be to your best interest to help your spouse or your children find a great hobby before a bad habit finds them. Regardless of age, gender or sex, please believe me that bad habits almost always come with two legs.

 Those two legs can come with a sexy body looking for someone to pay their bills or give them some sense of power or excitement. Those two legs can be an officemate who also has no “hobbies” and are so lazy that they would rather have bad habits. Two legs can be on a “best friend” or a boyfriend who is either damaged, selfish or simply bored because they too don’t have a “great hobby”.

A great hobby may also be something you yourself need in order to have some sense of reward from all the work you do. A lot of people work in the salt mines, then give up their paycheck as a love offering for the church, the kids, the wife, the BIR and everyone else except them. Remember the rule “…others as you love YOURSELF”.

Whatever it is, do it because it is something you always wanted to do, do it for yourself but you don’t necessarily have to do it by yourself, share it with your kids or your spouse. Regularly redecorating, renovating or repairing a house can be a real hobby and eventually train you up for business.

When I get bored of one hobby, I pray this prayer: Lord, please give me a hobby that would really bring out the best of my talents and my abilities. Let it be a blessing and a joy to my family and let it be a blessing to others as well.

I hope you’ll pray the same prayer and may you find a wonderful continuing journey ahead of you. God bless you.