Dear LPG,

I have a friend that I used to work with. We worked together for the last ten years of our working lives and, although our work involved shifts we got into the habit of chatting on the phone at least once during each of our working days.

Throughout all this time there has been one thing that has always disappointed me about what he has to say. Whatever the subject we are talking about, he always seemed to have a friend who had a certificate or some educational qualification who had told him something that must be true because of all the education that they brought with their comment.

I remember him telling me about one of his friends who had to be able to play an instrument because he had studied and had a certificate to prove it. His cousin was an authority when it came to cooking because she had spent years studying.

I remember always telling him that I believe a certificate can prove that you know about your chosen subject, but the education of experience and passion for any pastime is a thousand times more valuable in my estimation. Qualifying bits of paper only prove that you have attained a certain standard when it comes to the fundamentals and retired people should be looking for enthusiasm when there is no job at stake, whatever the pursuit. When we get to retirement age, I think that once you have acquired the certificate, you have just begun your training whatever the subject.

All that aside, I know that there are many people who lose their way when it comes to finding something to immerse themselves in after retirement, there are so many online courses to have a go at with the added perk that finding an online course can be good for more than your exploration of the subject you have chosen to study.

My friend and I have had some ten years to lose our way when it comes to finding something to focus on as a hobby in spite of all the other things that we have to fill our days of retirement with, and most retired people have had a whole year of not getting out to their favourite clubs and day centres to do the same. This might just be the time to find a new focus by getting to grips with a new pastime. An online study course may be worth thinking about, not because you want the bit of paper that proves you know exactly what you are doing, but because having a go might be just the tonic you need to hold your focus again, and a bit of paper with a bit of trial and error thrown in for good measure can only be a good thing.

NB, Camberwell

NB has found a few ‘where to begin’ ideas…

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