What does it mean to be at leisure and why does this matter?
For myself, leisure is something mental and physical. Leisure is not necessarily just chilling out at the beach, laying under the sun, and being passive. Leisure means more to me than the traditional idea of “vacation.”
The word vacation, deriving from the Latin verb, vacare , means “to be empty, free, or at leisure.”
Leisure is a mindset
Leisure is freedom. In a modern sense, to be free of your mind, is to have nothing on the schedule, nobody texting, calling, or emailing you. Leisure is simply spending the time that you have during the day how you want to without external influence. This mental freedom is something I value most in life.
Physical Leisure
Leisure is spending the maximum amount of time outside, walking, under the sun, making photos, videos, and exploring the world. It’s deciding on your own terms when you want to lift weights, exercise, and go for walks. Leisure isn’t just a time for rest, but it’s a time to be physical, through yoga, lifting, walking, nature, hikes, and things that typically seem “a waste of time“ in a modern sense.
To be at leisure is to be free.
I believe that work can be leisure, depending on how you look at it. For instance, my work in Horticulture, gardening, is something I treat completely as physical leisure. It’s a way for me to meditate, be present, and spend time in nature. I suggest we all think more critically about what leisure means to us, and pursue that as much as possible. This modern world prioritizes the idea of productivity way too much, and I think it’s best for all of us to take a step back, and live our everyday life on our own terms.