Sharing Our Favorite Things

My eleven year old grandson recently learned how Sudoku works. There is no way to tell whether or not it will become a “favorite thing” for him. He already has several favorite things. I sent his sister a book on how to play chess. She found it had too little creativity; he found it a perfect fit for his just-the-facts-ma’am approach to life. He also loves his video games and sharks. I learned just yesterday that sand sharks bury themselves in shallow waters.  

Favorite things are good for us. When the day is empty and our heart is falling, we lift it up again with our private joys. We know that one-size-does-not-fit-all when it comes to favorite things. Parents learn this with their children. One wants to run track, another wants to make a movie for Youtube. Inside a family, adjustments are constantly made to fit in the hearts of each individual.

Oprah knew some of this. Her favorite things were products, however, which missed the point. The point of your favorite thing is you have “down time.” Like a battery, it gives you a way to recharge for the challenges ahead. It is practiced for the joy of it.

My oldest daughter has a neighbor who keeps a perfect yard. It is his passion. Every tree and bush has a brick liner. The plants are healthy, the mulch is fresh. And, sometimes, her yard benefits from a quick sidewalk clearing or extra care. While she may pull the curtains and peek out furtively, it is still a nice gesture of his passion helping a little further down the line than expected.

We need to share our favorite things, and we shouldn’t send the neighbors into hiding when we do it. The correct response to someone doing something nice is “thank you.” Period. If my passion made your day brighter, that is good for both of us. I do go a little further for the neighbor who blows snow off our walks in winter, but that is my choice. He does it because his heart wants to do it.

Most of the time it is like that, passion spills over—you just cannot help it! My father’s favorite thing was history. As small children, we were always stretching to see some artifact in a museum and listening to its story. He had a library of books and he liked to share those, too. His love for his books was infectious. I read Guadalcanal Diary when other kids were reading Teen Magazine.

There is usually no more giving person than someone sharing a favorite thing. Do not apologize for it. Your favorite thing broadens my world. Three of us in my area have a passion for the bible. We met to discuss it for over a year. One woman’s four year old came along. She brought a toy, or played with something we had, or joined my husband in his office where they would work with the computer’s Paintbox. When she had to go to kindergarten, she said she missed us. She was near people with passionate interests—I ended up making doll clothes for her doll after she admired my model doll in a crisp green dress—and it was fun.

Do not let anyone dissuade you from your favorite things. Yes, a hobby can become too all encompassing, but taken with good sense, it benefits you and those around you. My grandson plays chess with his Grandpa. He walked in for a visit and said, “I thought you would already have the chess board set up!” So don’t hide that fabric stash or those bicycles you picked up out of the trash, or that one more piece of scrap wood. Bring it out into the daylight and be proud! Because whether it is bicycles, sewing, carpentry, sharks, dolls, or something else, your favorite thing can made the world a better place. We are meant to share and what could be better than something we have already learned to love?