The World’s Most Expensive Hobby
Do you know what the world’s most expensive hobby is?
Collecting excuses.
Some people have been perfecting it for years.
“I’m too old.” “My knees.” “My back.”
“My children still need me.” “My grandchildren keep me busy.”
“What if people stare?” “What if someone from the mosque sees me?”
“What if my neighbour starts talking?”
Congratulations.
You’ve just talked yourself out of another beautiful day.
Somewhere, there’s a hiking trail wondering why you’ve never visited.
Your bicycle is starting to think it’s home decor.
The swimming pool is wondering if it offended you.
And a pair of walking shoes questioning why they’re still brand new after three Hari Rayas.
Let’s be honest. Many of us don’t grow old.
We simply become very creative with excuses.
It’s quite amazing, actually.
We can spend four hours cooking for a family gathering without complaining.
Carry shopping bags heavier than a gym workout.
Chase grandchildren around the house like we’re training for the Olympics.
Stand in the kitchen all day before Hari Raya.
But when someone says,
“Let’s go for a two kilometrrs to enjoy the nature.”
Suddenly…
“My body cannot make it.”
Really?
Your body survived three days of spring cleaning, but a park is where it draws the line?
Sometimes it’s not our age that’s tired. It’s our mindset.
We’ve convinced ourselves that life has an expiry date.
That after forty or fifty, excitement should be replaced with cushions, television dramas, scrolling and forwarding WhatsApp messages.
As if birthdays automatically cancel curiosity.
Who made that rule? Certainly not your age.
Somewhere along the way, we stopped looking forward to tomorrow.
Not because tomorrow stopped offering opportunities.
But because we stopped accepting the invitation.
Life isn’t just about growing older. It’s about continuing to collect stories.
Learn to swim. Take up painting. Travel with friends. Try kayaking.
Paragliding and feeling the waterfall massaging you.
Hold on to a cup of coffee surrounded by lustful greenary.
Take that baking class you’ve been talking about since 2014.
Or simply wake up early and watch the sunrise instead of watching another episode on Netflix.
One day, your grandchildren won’t gather around and ask,
“Grandma… tell us again about that time you organised the kitchen.”
Or…
“How many times did you mop the floor?”
They’ll ask,
“Grandma… what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” (Me, its paragliding and cave expedition!)
Imagine smiling and saying,
“I climbed a mountain.”
“I learnt to pottery at fifty-five.”
“I got accqauanted with a Turkish teacher when I was there.”
“I got your grandad into troble with his family just because he didn”t buy what I wanted.”
“I finally did something I’d been afraid of for twenty years.”
Now those are stories.
Nobody hangs a family photo around a perfectly arranged spice rack.
People remember adventures. People remember laughter.
People remember courage.
Most importantly, you remember how alive you felt.
So stop waiting for the perfect time.
The perfect weather. The perfect friends.
The perfect shoes. The perfect confidence.
Perfection is always running late.
Life isn’t. Growing older is compulsory.
Growing boring is optional. Collect memories.
Collect laughter. Collect stories.
Leave the excuses to someone else.
And before anyone says, “But is it wrong to enjoy life?”
Remember this.
Our faith has never been against wholesome joy.
Aishah (RA), the beloved wife of the Prophet ﷺ, raced with him. She also watched the Abyssinians display their athletic spear play while the Prophet ﷺ stood beside her, allowing her to enjoy the moment. These are beautiful reminders that modesty and happiness can walk hand in hand.
Perhaps the greatest gift we can leave ourselveses is living life to the best memories.
Because one day, long after we’re gone, they may not remember what was on our dining table.
But they’ll never forget the stories we told around it.
Focus Keyphrase:
Muslim women enjoying life after 40
Meta Description:
Growing older does not mean growing smaller. A witty reflection on why Muslim women should stop collecting excuses and start collecting memories while living within the beautiful boundaries of faith.
Tags:
Muslim women, Women over 40, Personal growth, Lifestyle, Positive ageing, Muslimah, Inspiration, Family, Adventure, Rethinking Is
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