A little fun makes a lot of work more doable. When we take well-deserved breaks for wholesome rest and recreation, we return to our labors feeling rejuvenated. Mentally, physically, and even spiritually, we are more alert than we were before.
A wise religious leader compared his mind to a bow that would lose its spring if it were constantly strung.[1] With our fast-paced lifestyles, we all need a little “down time” when we can put our work aside and enjoy a diversion. For some, leisure is best spent in physical activities. Others like to attend the theater or a sporting event. Some feel renewed after reading a good book, while many find their escape in music. And others just need time with people, especially the ones they love.
Of course, all of this is not unique to our time and place. While today we have more leisure opportunities than our ancestors, we can learn from their examples of making time for rest and recreation. A pioneer woman wrote in her journal of the hardships she and other pioneers suffered during their thousand-mile journey to the West in the mid-1800s, but she made sure to note the singing, dancing, and storytelling they enjoyed around the campfire in the evenings. She records, “Something in the line of social enjoyment was continually transpiring to cheer our hearts amidst all the trials.”[2]
As the pioneers learned, recreation can be a lifeline during times of difficulty. It can give us the strength to endure and the motivation to succeed. So take a break. Find time for rest and wholesome recreation. Learn a new hobby. And then go forward with life with greater purpose and capacity.
Program #3961
[1] See William M. Allred, “Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Juvenile Instructor, Aug. 1, 1892, 472.
[2] Louisa Barnes Pratt, in comp. Carol Cornwall Madsen, Journey to Zion: Voices from the Mormon Trail (1997), 224.