A Look at Pleasure and Leisure

As to pleasure and leisure and their place and importance: While there is need for leisure and relaxing, it is not good to have too many unoccupied hours; for there is too much too little time to do all there is to do, to learn all there is to learn, to see all there is to see, and to serve all who should be served. One thing seems certain: that life generally should be used for good and useful purposes, and not merely for the pursuit of pleasure. “I know of no occupation in life more barren of results than the permanent seeking of pleasure,” wrote A. Lawrence Lowell. “Pleasure is a by-product of doing something that is worth doing,” he continued. “Therefore, do not seek pleasure much. Pleasure comes of seeking something else…The whole point of enjoying recreation is that it is not your permanent occupation. The man who is seeking pleasure as his main occupation in life never has any recreation because “that is what he is always working at” “…Men should be engaged in a good cause” and not primarily playing—and in our recreation and relaxation we should not let down to the point of making the pursuit of pleasure of utmost importance. We should not work so hard at playing that playing becomes our primary purpose. “If you seek this or that,” said Thomas ‘a Kempis, “if you wish to be in this place or that place, to have more ease and pleasure, you will never rest or be free from care.” Pleasure is not the purpose of life. Sincere happiness properly pursued may be. “…men are, that they might have joy”—but it should be a joy that comes from being “engaged in a good cause,” in purposeful pursuits. Pleasure should be a by-product but not the major occupation of anyone.