Hobbies.....the saving grace of us all. Nowadays, when I think of hobbies, I remember Granny quoting the bible saying, "The devil finds work for idle hands." In my lifetime I have been Jill of all hobbies and probably master of none. However Granny always reminded me that the joy was in trying. Believe me, if effort was graded I would get an A++++.

The first time Granny and I talked about hobbies was when I told her I wanted to take up swimming. Granny's swimming skills were extraordinary, therefore it was understandable that I would want to be like her. We went to a few swimming classes together, however my attention span waned rapidly. Actually, I found it much more interesting to play with Ken and Barbie in the water, while attempting to make a comedy out of the situation. As I grew older the swimming lessons grew on me, however, my heart really was not into it. I was merely going through the motions until I discovered Paper Dolls.

From about the age of nine years old to eleven years old I experienced Paper Doll mania. I started making and collecting the most interesting Paper Dolls imaginable. I remember using Granny's old newspapers to make clothes for my dolls, sometimes Granny would get irritated saying, "You not tired to dress-up the dolly dem, by the time you finish massacaring the newspapers the dollies will have a whole new wardrobe."

After several tired fingers and many well dressed dolls my Paper Doll frenzy fizzled away.

At this point, Granny felt it was time for me to select one hobby I was really good at and stick with it. It sounded like a good plan , but it was easier said than done. I always admired Granny because she had several hobbies, like embroidering, gardening and decorating and they all seemed to bring her joy and a sense of accomplishment. My indecisions surfaced partly because, while going to school in Jamaica I was exposed to so many extracurricular activities, like badminton, tennis, net ball and it was mandatory for girls to learn how to crochet, sew or embroider. Then there was always the distraction of playing a musical instrument, so you can imagine my confusion when it came time for me to find a hobby that would last throughout a lifetime.

Granny graciously went through every hobby with me. There was the time when I was learning to play two instruments, the flute and the violin. I never saw Granny take so much phensic in my life. Although it was probably very painful to her ears, she cheered me on saying , "What a way the music sweet, I really like the riddim. Sweetheart if you continue like that, you gwey have you own orchestra soon."

Granny could always get a chuckle out of me with that remark, because it boosted my ego and made me want to play even more. This decision was not usually easily accepted by Granny because she knew that she was going to be subjected to many more hours of blaring and grating of the instruments. She would often try to lure me away from the instruments by offering to show me how to embroider like her.

I found embroidering with Granny fascinating, simply because it seemed like magic. She would take an ordinary piece of cloth and turn it into a work of art. I was always mesmerized by her skill and patience.

I did my best to be as skillfull and decorative with my designs as Granny was, but I knew I was no poster child for McCall's patterns. Once I got the gist of embroidering, I felt it was a skill that would come in handy in life, but not necessarily a hobby that would make me beam with enthusiasm.

Granny would always tease me and say, "My dear, you have so many hobbies, it's a wonder you're not curious about flying a plane." Ding! Dong! the light went on inside my mind. I thought, "Gee, thanks Granny, there's something I haven't really thought about."

That little idea kept me busy for weeks researching about Aviation. I became so enthralled in my new found past time, that very often I used to take the chairs from the dining table and play pretend with Granny.

I would organize the chairs as if we were on an airplane, I was the pilot and Granny was the co-pilot. I often used some of Granny's costume jewelry for the controls, because they were shiny and radiated light.

Being the good sport that she was, she would sit in her co-pilot seat while we jetted off to imaginary locations.

My best trip with Granny was when we pretended to go to Moko. For many Jamaicans Moko has been a long running joke. If you do something outlandish in Jamaica, people would say, You mussey come from Moko." But Granny and I actually had an imaginary visit to Moko, and you know what? I found it had its own allure and charm. I guess it's all about perception. You can't always believe what you hear.

Granny and I found Mokomanians to be very refreshing and welcoming. They were pure souls without any animosity or preconceived notions about other people. Suddenly what seemed like a place no one wanted to be associated with, seemed like an ideal that everyone should try to emulate. I guess the Moko way of life is going against the grain, and being who you are really meant to be, and not some paltry imitation of what people want you to be.

So I can honestly say, that afternoon when Granny and I jetted off on our imaginary journey, our minds expanded and we thought of a whole new reality. Upon our return, Granny and I nodded in unison, "Not bad at all....."

Granny smiled and said, "Ms. Mags, I'm quite honored to say I went to Moko and back., 'cause you know wherever you go, there God is, and no one has more spectacular taste than God."

After delving into several hobbies and taking Granny on incredible journeys of fantasy, I finally decided to think outside of the box. I thought, that maybe God wanted me to have several hobbies.Now that I'm older I have found positive ways to channel all my childhood endeavors. I realized that my hobbies are custom made to fit my lifestyle and my moods. Whenever, I want to liven things up, I play an instrument or better yet, listen to some Reggae music. If my wardrobe needs sprucing up, I get creative. During times of stress when I want to feel at peace with nature, I take a swim or go to the beach. If I become smitten by wanderlust I travel, or read an exotic travel magazine and let my mind wander, and if I want to banish a few unwanted pounds, there is always tennis, badminton or net ball waiting in the wings.

Granny used to always say, "Dare to be different! Always be a leader never a follower." Therefore I can certainly say,that striving for unique leadership in my life has rebuked the devil several times over. Because between my livelihood and my hobbies, there aren't enough hours in the day.

*Dedicated to the memory of GHMP. Rest in Peace!