A Workaholic's Prayer

IF I WORK with the strength of men and machines, but have not leisure, I am a noisy brute or a clumsy clod. And, if I have skills for operating complex technology, or powers to move mountains of bureaucracy, or knowledge to understand great problems, but have not leisure, I am nothing. If I give of myself to everyone, and if I sacrifice my own bodily needs for the sake of my job, but have no leisure, I gain nothing.

Leisure is found in being patient and kind; it is not in striving or competing, or conquering. Leisure does not insist upon progress or success. It is not angry when someone fails nor resentful when someone else does better. Leisure abhors violence; it never applauds manipulation; but it rejoices when things come out alright. Leisure is most fully experienced when we are able to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and enjoy all things.

Leisure never ends. As for our work, it will pass away. As for our skills and powers, they will cease. As for our knowledge, it will fade. For our knowledge is imperfect and our work is imperfect; but when the perfect life comes, our imperfections will all disappear. When I was a slave, I worked like a slave, I spoke like a slave, I thought like a slave; but when I became a free person, I gave up slavish ways. Now we see this dimly, but someday we will see it clearly. Now we know in part; then we will understand fully, for we have already been fully accepted for life in a new age.

So time, work, and leisure abide - these three, but the greatest of these is leisure. Amen.

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Gordon J. Dahl, 1976