In a world where the dignity of labour has often been beatified, indolence has been treated as a vice, and rest is often not emphasized enough, leisure may not be a topic that would generate enough attention. The place of leisure is perhaps well and truly underrated for something that has the capacity to bring balance in personal and social health.
There is a broad spectrum of works and laborious activities that people involve themselves in daily, from the blue collar office jobs to the menial artisan jobs, and incredibly there is also a broad spectrum of leisure activities that people get into. These activities may differ from age to gender variations, and while little boys may have more interest in football, older men may have more interest in chess, draft and rugby. Little girls may be more interested in playing with teddy bears, while older women may be more interested in reading novels.
Now, where do we draw the line between leisure and hectic activities? Where do we delineate between visiting the gym after work and literarily training for an in-ring career with the WWE? Unless ‘Leisure’ is redefined to include certain activities that are no less energy sapping than actual jobs, then this line should be drawn and drawn well. Swimming around in an above ground pool is good enough, but not long enough to make it look like the Olympics trials. A kick-about at the backyard is good enough, but three hours at the football pitch looks more like a trial at the Manchester United academy. Perhaps the line is moderation, and it is up to us to not bend or erase it.
