Sunday, August 2, 2009

During our recent stay at Mary and Jared's, I often thought about the concept of perpetual work. Is it mentally healthy to spend all day at one's livelihood and/or caring for one's family? Does it ever get to a point where we've reached our limits, and absolutely require some sort of a break? I read a passage recently about Brigham Young that was salient to this stream of thought.

Miriam contracted tuberculosis and became a semi-invalid... he had to get breakfast for himself, Miriam, and the girls; dress the children; clean up the house; and carry Miriam to the rocking chair by the fireplace before he could leave [he had to be to work by sunrise]. When he returned [at sunset], he cooked the evening meal, cleaned up, read to Miriam from the Bible, and carried her back to bed. (Brigham Young: American Moses, 17)

So sometimes I wonder whether our ideas about our limits or our "need" for a break at every so and so interval isn't just the unconciouse manifestation of a socialization that inculcated in us a feeling of entitlement, and wonder how much more effective I would be if I could disregard my supposed "need" for breaks.

Granted, this is before I have my own children. My feelings will probably change when I have to get up at 3 to clean up a dirty diaper, have a test the next morning, a wife who's vomiting...

7 comments:

Ruth said...

May I please have any breaks you give up?

Astromom said...

I like Ruth's comment. I "need" breaks but there are times when it isn't possible and I feel the Lord strengthening me. I do agree that as a society we do probably have the level of breaks too high and the idea of entitlement needs to be relooked at.

Charles said...

Didn't Joseph Smith say something like "a bow that is always strung will lose its spring"? I think the question is more, "What kind of break?" For another cliche, we could say "a change is as good as a rest."

Nicole said...

I also have "heard" but do not know if it is legitimate, that Brigham Young has said something to the effect of "9 mos. pregnant, 9 mos. nursing, 9 months rest". I do think that as a society we think we need breaks after almost anything deemed as work. I will definitely need your quote in a couple weeks when Joseph leaves for Baton Rouge. Like yesterday after Hyrum didn't nap and Elle wouldn't stay in quiet time and at the end of the LONG day Hyrum finally pulled a bowl of syrup out of the fridge and it splashed from one end of the kitchen to the other and all down my front. I almost lost it and felt like I "needed" a break:). I think even just changing what you're doing helps, going from watching the kids to mowing the lawn, you are still working but getting a change of scenery. Now if your spouse is home to enable you to get a change is the question:).

Lori said...

Herbert Spencer's ideas about altruistic egoism come to mind.

Lisa said...

"Change is as good as rest..." I like that! I agree that as a society we feel entitled to more "breaks" than we really need. But what about doing something constructive with those breaks? Like working on refining our talents and building our "heavenly home" (See my favorite BYU address by Elder Callister. Also reprinted in June's Ensign.)

I recall that Brigham Young also said, "8 hrs. sleep, 8 hrs. work, and 8 hrs. play." When was the last time we got 8 hours of sleep?

Franziska Patterson said...

People are probably getting lazier, but I also think breaks, and the development of balance in our lives is not so much a matter of socialization but increased knowledge and the luxury of being able (in most western countries at least) to lead a balanced life. We may be able to get more done with out a break, but also in the 'olden days' where people couldn't rest and take breaks the way we do, well...they lived 20-40 years less than us, and got sick more etc. I'm sure our improved medical knowledge helps change the picture as well. But, I think we've come to learn that good nutrition, and a balanced life style, allow for longer living, and with that...most likely far more productivity than people working nonstop till they die at 35.