Somesmallthingsarecollecteddeliberatelyinthehomeinanattempttoavoidwaste.AmongtheseIwouldliststringandbrownpaper,keptbythriftypeoplewhenaparcelhasbeenopened,tosavebuyingthesetworequisites.However,collectingasaserioushobbyisquitedifferentandhasmanyadvantages.
Firstly,itprovidesrelaxationforleisurehours,justaslookingatone'streasureisalwaysapleasure.Onedoesnothavetogooutsideforamusement,sincethecollectionishousedathome.Whateveritconsistsof,stamps,records,pictures,modelcars,stuffedbirds,toyanimals,thereisalwayssomethingtodoinconnectionwithit,fromfindingtherightplaceforthelatestadditiontoverifyingfactsinreferencebooks.Consequently,one'sknowledgeexpands.
Secondly,thishobbyeducatesonenotonlyinthechosensubject,butalsoingeneralmatterswhichhavesomebearingonit,forinstance,tomeetlike-mindedcollectors,togetadvice,tocomparenotes,toshowoffthelatestfind,andsoon.Inthisway,one'scircleoffriendsgrows.
Thirdly,thehobbysoonleadstotravel,perhapstoameetinginanothertown,possiblyatripabroadinsearchofrarespecimen(forcollectorsarenotconfinedtoonecountry).Overtheyearsonemaywellbecomeanauthorityonone'shobbyandwillveryprobablybeaskedtogiveinformaltalkstolittlegatheringsandthen,ifsuccessful,tolargeraudience.Insodoingself-confidencegrows,firstfrommasteringasubject,thenfrombeingabletotalkaboutit.
Inconclusion,collecting,byoccupyingsparetimesoconstructively,makesapersoncontented,withnotimeforboredom.