A few years ago I contributed to a book about the firm where my father used to work. Recounting people and incidents over the phone I was told: “I remember you as being rather a studious kind of boy”.
I suppose that’s right. I was too timid to join football, rugby or cricket teams and rarely participated in any other sports. I read a lot, played and listed to music and spent possibly too much time on my own.
It occurs to me that, as they age, those sporty people who played highly physical team games can no longer do so. Some manage to keep up club and racquet games for a while, and others take up the likes of bowls and walking football, etc., but eventually even these can become too much. Readers, writers, musicians and creative people, on the other hand, can keep going until they lose their marbles, or even longer.
I’m glad to have been rather a studious kind of boy.
Me too. The studious part, not the boy part, of course.
ReplyDeleteI'm told gender fluidity is all the rage these days.
DeleteI can relate to this too, having been a shy, non-athletic child. My cousin told me a while ago that she had always considered me to be self-contained. I hope that doesn't mean that I appear to be stand-offish!
ReplyDeleteI suspect introvert bloggers are in the majority.
DeleteThat reads as a compliment, I think. You make an interesting point about physical activities having a shorter shelf-life than activities that mostly only engage the mind.
ReplyDeleteLike everything else though, people are not entirely physical or cerebral, it's a scale on which you have a position. Many will have done both. I do however know someone who spent all his time playing and later coaching rugby, and now has health problems and no other interests to enjoy.
DeleteI too get referred to as "studious"; also was too timid and small to play football/rugby with other lads in my year at school; solitary cycling is more my thing, I then relax with a book. I do think there is a positive social aspect to be gained from sports though.
ReplyDeleteI would not have been happy at the time to know someone thought me studious. I probably was but didn't want to be, and certainly did not do anything like the amount studying I should have been doing.
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