Aging Capriciously

Dictionary.com defines leisure as: “Freedom from time-consuming duties, responsibilities, or activities.”  This definition does not make sense if you think about it. Since everything takes time, how can we ever really be free from “time-consuming” activities? Do you know anything that can be done that will not involve an expenditure of time?  Whether I go on vacation, play or go to work, I will consume time.  Even prayer and meditation consume time.

Leisure time has more to do with being free from goals and obligations than it does with not consuming time. Thus, freedom from duties and responsibilities is more germane to our concept of leisure time than simply not spending time.  Leisure time is time when I do not have to be goal oriented or time that is not driven by some overarching responsibility. There are precious few of these moments for many of us.  Even recreation and play can seem like responsibilities or work generating tasks. How many of us go on vacation and need one when we get back?  Playing can be hard work for many of us if we turn it into the inevitable competition that exists in our world today.

Questions to Reflect On:

How much leisure time do you have in your day, in your week, in your life?  Is it time that is truly free of goals and responsibilities?  Do you get enough of this time?  If not, how could you have more leisure time in your life?  What is one thing you could do today to give yourself some more “leisure time.”  What would your life be like if you had more leisure time each day to just do what you want to do?