There are many hobies of types. Some are outdoor hobbies and some are indoor. Outdoor hobbies give us physical exercise as well, e.g. garding, jogging, walk and hiking. On the other hand, indoor hobbies keep us mentally busy. They provide us relaxation without giving any physical exercise. Photography, collecting various thing, pen-friendship, reading and web-developing are such hobbies. My hobby is gardening.
I live a little away from city. Our house has a very big lawn. The atmosphere all around is quite healthful. We have planted big shady trees. Some of them are fruit-bearing trees. Around the lawn, we have a variety of small plants. We have a gardener to look after it. He visits twice a week but usually on Sundays i myself work in the lawn.
i spend most of the Sunday mornings in the company of my beloved plants and trees. Once i am in this atmosphere, i have no sense if time. When i look closely at the process of growth and flowers reflected the work of Allah Almighty.
The fragrance of flowers and their soft solours transport me into another world. When i see young sprouting, i feel thrilled. This is actually a message of love and friendship from innocent plants. Buds opening into flowers convey invite-self with ecstasy. My heart beats with the ryhthm produced by these songbirds. This whole atmosphere is a complete world of perfect relaxation and peace of mind.
Nature does not mean greenery only. Small insisects and birds have a world of their own. Their world is more entertaining than the world of man. Man has lost his contact with Allah. These innocent creatures, on the other hand, depend entirely on God fot their survival. In their company, i forget even myself.
To extract pure pleasure out of this activity of gardening, i conduct ost of the work myself. I prepare the soil during the sowing season. Digging the earth has its own pleasure. THe rich loam has very soft and silky touch. I add manure to it. Then i sow seeds. I have a nice combination of seasonal and perennial plants. When saplings start peeping out of the ground, the piece of land looks very beautiful. I nurture these tenders plants and get amused. As they grow bigger and bigger, they make the landscape very charming.
Like human babies, the growth of plants also need great care. I dig the soil around these plants once a week. THis gives them strength and improves their growth. THis activity also provides me a chance to get rid of weed. Regular trimming is another feature of gardening. Prperly trimmed plants look elegant and impressive. This is their hairstyle. This is also good for their health as their roots gain strength in this way. Wayward growth gives an ugly look to the plant itself and to the surroundings as well.
Some of the plants are vulnerable to certain disease and pests. They need proper care and protection. Their disease can be judged only by those who develop a close relationship with them. My attachment with my plants tells me when they need my help. A slight change in thier bearing is noticeable to me. I take every possible measure to keep them healthy. THese plants are very dear to me as are the members of my own family. Their proper health is source of my satisfaction.
In short, my hobby of gardening gives me an opportunity to be transported into a world of silent companionship. It provides me fresh oxygen to breathe. It gives me fragrance to enlighten my soul. This colourful world is a threat to watch. Whatever the season it is, my plants are my companions and they always try to please me.
