A vocation or avocation?
You may well have had a vocation, something you felt drawn to do to earn your daily crust. You may not have had a vocation, but just did whatever you had to do to put food on the table and a roof over your head.
It is more likely that most people have an avocation. The word comes from 16th century Latin avocation meaning ‘calling away.’ Basically, it’s a smart word for a hobby!
An avocation is something you do entirely for pleasure and is nothing to do with making money, though it might do so incidentally. It may be something creative, like embroidery or whittling. It could be an outdoor pursuit, like mountaineering or birdwatching. It may be something which exercises your mind, like poker or building a model railway. It might even be something that combines several avocations, like writing a book containing photographs you have taken of wonderful cakes you have designed and baked.
Did you have a vocation? How many avocations have you?
Have you enough time for all the hobbies you enjoy?
Gardening, sewing and reading, oh better add the grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteThe grandchildren are a work in progress . . .
DeleteYou'll not be delving into my avocations.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think I knew the word, but then I did remember.
Your avocations reflect your working life!
DeleteIt seems we never have enough time for the things we really enjoy. There's always the regular stuff that must get done first.
ReplyDelete'Not enough hours in the day' as we all say.
DeleteFor a few, vocations and avocations could line up or at least an avocation could lead to a vocation.
ReplyDelete. . . and vice versa . . .
DeleteI have had several vocations, and still have a few avocations. Is it because I can't make up my mind or like to try something new???
ReplyDeleteYou're versatile!
DeleteI've never heard of avocation. What a great word.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely word. 😃
DeleteI have to plant some tomatoes hopefully today-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hope they thrive. 🍅
DeleteArt, blogging, going out to eat, watching television/movies...
ReplyDelete. . . and on, and on . . .
DeleteShame on me I didn’t know the meaning of the word avocation, I appreciate you teaching me 😀 I have quite a few hobbies, but that’s something I’ve come to a bit later in life, I’m not greatly skilled at any of them but they bring me joy, thats what matters 😍
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
Finding pleasure in what you're doing is just what life should be about.
DeleteStill waiting for my vocation to speak to me. But many avocations, one of which was making miniature furniture, spinning of course and the whole network of growing plants for dyeing and knitting.
ReplyDeleteYou have much in common with Boud, I think.
DeleteReading, blogging, crocheting, casual photography, taking walks some birding. used to garden I really don’t do that much ditto for traveling I hope those situations change. Due to my job, I actually learned the definitions of vocation and advocation years ago.
ReplyDeleteAnything enjoyable away from work can be classed as avocation. 😃
DeleteRight now life has shortened my avocations. Definitely art, blogging and a bit of gardening. Have a nice day today.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that teaching was my vocation - at least for the first few years - but then it became a kind of conveyor belt that went back to the beginning every September. Here we go again! As for hobbies/avocations - I guess that my main one is blogging! I seem to find plenty of time for that even though the time to investigate and read other people's blogs is limited. Hell, you could spend every waking hour here in the blogosphere if you failed to curtail your time.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting question. I have had several avocations in my life, those jobs that kept the bills paid. Being a librarian was one of them. I enjoyed the job, but it was a job, not the thing I loved. My vocation was and still is storytelling, whether written or spoken. And if we can have 2, then the other is gardening. Those two run neck and neck for me.
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteI have too many hobbies and not enough time!