Value in summer

      (published about two months late...)


       For all of the sweat, work, and tears that go into the work of a teacher during the year, summertime comes as a welcome respite. As my summer is just beginning, I wanted to take some time to write about leisure both for my own benefit as I begin a season of leisure of sorts as well as for you as some food for thought.
      It seems to me that for most, leisure is kicking back and flipping through the channels to see what's on, or perhaps clicking through friends' facebook profiles looking to see what they have been up to, or maybe even browsing through catalogs or stores looking for the next thing to buy in order to satisfy the restlessness of a heart not at work. Do these count as leisure or as true relaxation?
      As my time off from teaching begins I have realized that I want to spend my time well, even during the summertime. Rather than sit for hours watching television, movies, or surfing the net I want to use my time to grow as a person by developing my talents or discovering new ones. Almost every house in America you enter, the central point of the family room and perhaps bedroom, living room, and kitchen is a television. How many hours a month, week or day do we spend on such useless, mind-numbing pursuits as this? This summer I hope to spend my time, being open to adventures, developing my intellect, and pursuing dreams and goals. If we simply spent our free time on more fulfilling things such as music, reading, writing, hiking, or exploring, these things would not simply be 'pastimes'. Our time would be filled with satisfying some of the desires of our heart and opening us to more fully experiencing the world around us. Indeed, I think through leisure we can begin to live life as we're meant to live it... life to the fullest. Cheers!