A Hobby or a Job?

Guiding is a hobby. 

There, I've said it, attack me now. 

Because I can already hear the people saying 'Of course not, it's far more than a hobby!'  But it is just a hobby.  And the Founders stated several times that every Leader in Scouting and Guiding should have at least one other hobby or pastime unrelated to their Scouting or Guiding, otherwise they would soon become stale.

I appreciate that during the current Covid lockdown, many people who would normally be in paid employment are finding themselves furloughed and with large amounts of unexpected time on their hands as a result.  And I also appreciate that there have long been a number of Leaders in Guiding who aren't normally in paid employment due to their own health or to acting as carers for others, who find Guiding an engaging way of occupying their spare time, and in the absence of the weekly meeting, are devoting their spare time to creating resources and activities to send out to the girls - although they aren't always receiving the enthusiastic responses hoped for in return.

But I return to what the Founders said.  At least one hobby or pastime unrelated to their Scouting or Guiding.  Now it doesn't much matter what it is - it could be a handicraft such as knitting or woodwork, sketching or flower arranging, singing in the choir, playing in the orchestra, hillwalking or fishing or sailing or dancing or - or anything really.  Anything which gets you away from Guiding, and if possible, mixing with people beyond those involved in Guiding, giving you fresh ideas and inspiration, and keeping you from becoming stale.  "All work and no play . . . "

Unit Guiding can be a treadmill.  Each year, new girls join the unit, old girls move on, but the unit and it's Leaders keep on going - because there is no natural end-point.  There used to be - used to be a maximum age for Leaders, and though there were downsides, one advantage was that at a certain point people had to get off the bus, and at an age when there was often still plenty of time and energy to take up the other hobbies which had been laid aside as Guiding took up the time - but now there isn't a retirement date, and so Leaders tend to keep going, month by month and year by year, unless an outside reason causes them to stop - either a change to the Leader's personal life, or falling numbers in the unit due to demographics making it no longer viable.  It's why they've had to bring out ever higher-numbered long-service awards - at one time 30 years was the highest, then a 40 year one was introduced, then a 50.  It may only be a matter of time before 60 year awards are needed. 

I often hear, too, of people who 'live for Guiding'.  Who wouldn't know what to do with their time if it wasn't for Guiding.  And - I feel sorry for them.  Great as Guiding can be (and I do believe it can be), it isn't a substitute for a varied range of acquaintance and of inspiration.  If you only mix with the same sorts of people who have the same sorts of viewpoints and the same sorts of interests - then you don't encounter other viewpoints and other ideas.  Another Founder quote - "when you think you're looking wide, look wider still!"

I've long had a rule - a bare minimum of one day per week where I do nothing Guiding-related whatsoever, ideally more.  I might do some musical instrument practice, I might go walking in the hills, I might visit a museum or place of interest, I might visit family or friends - it matters not what I do, so long as I am doing something, and it is unrelated to Guiding - no playing Guide songs or doing a recce for a future Brownie visit!

Covid-19 has meant no unit meetings for a period of over four months - far longer than any summer break would be.  For all it's downsides, what it does offer is an opportunity for us to evaluate our hobbies - and Guiding among them.  Which hobbies and pastimes would we like to be doing a year hence - are there some 'on the back burner' that we'd like to get started on again?  Some we've always fancied trying - is now our chance to do something about starting on them, perhaps through an online course?  Which hobbies and pastimes do we want to continue, and would that be at the same level of intensity, giving a bit more time to them, or giving a bit less?   Which hobbies would we like to either drop, or change our role or commitment in - perhaps dropping some roles, or swapping for fresh ones, or moving to a job-share?

Most Leaders in Guiding have a full-time role - paid employment or caring work - and the Guiding hobby.  It should be obvious to anyone which is the full-time role and which is the spare-time hobby.  But - is it?