The Pursuit of Pleasant Pastimes

January 1, 1970

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Often we complain about being busy, and certainly at times we are – too busy – sometimes at essential things and sometimes at unessential things. And because we are so busy, we may sometimes wish for inactivity, for idleness, for the leisure to pursue what we suppose are pleasant pastimes. But before we sever ourselves from work, before we separate ourselves from real responsibility, we should take a realistic look at what are sometimes called pleasant pastimes. There are times for all of us when leisure is essential, for rest and refreshment. And there may be times when even the avid pursuit of pleasure seems attractive on the surface. But actually people sometimes seek amusement and pleasure to the point where it is more work than work is. And sometimes it seems that part of the people are working at relieving boredom, and part of the people are bored because they aren’t working. Why this great effort, anyway, just to pass time? As the poet said, so each of us could say: “O time so swift! O swiftness never ceasing!” — a swiftness ever swifter, as age increases. And some of the so-called pastimes and synthetic pleasures only take our time, without any real satisfaction or substance, as we leave the years breathlessly behind. From now till next week will seem, in its shortness almost as if it were tomorrow morning. And it seems ironical that men should so persistently pursue the so-called pastimes when time is already running away and taking us with it. And as to pressure, as to being busy; it is so much better than not being busy that we may well be grateful for work – for constructive assignments and pursuits. Whenever we complain at being busy, we should remember how boring it can be not to be busy.

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