Is leisure important for a balanced life?

Even as early as the Second Century, Abba Anthony cautioned his followers not to forget the critical role of leisure in a balanced life. Nineteen centuries later, we need to follow his wise advice more than ever. Traditionally, the natural cycles of day and night provided a framework for the balance of work and leisure, but with the advent of electricity and artificial light sources, we can and do continue to work later and later into the night, throwing our natural cycles out of balance, wearying our bodies and drying up our souls.

Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang observes that ". . . the most bewildering thing about man is his idea of work and the amount of work he imposes upon himself, or civilization has imposed upon him. All nature loafs, while man alone works for a living." Americans have forgotten how to exercise the power of choice in the types and amount of work they do. Priding ourselves on being the hardest working nation in the world, we glorify work and workaholics to the point where workaholism is the most socially sanctioned and encouraged addiction we have. This narrow vision has thrust our society terribly out of balance. Remember seesaw on the playground? Balance depends upon an equal portion of work and leisure.