How should a young person occupy his free time especially during the summer holidays?
Having free time, or spare time, and not knowing what to do in it, is a problem that needs to be dealt with, because anyone who is conscious of having nothing to do, is someone who, on one hand doesn’t know the value of time, and on the other, doesn’t know the way to occupy that time in a useful way.
There are two ways of occupying spare time: either for the benefit of the person himself, who has that free time, or in the service of those around him and for their benefit.
Occupying the time for the benefit of the person himself could be by reading or study, in order to increase his knowledge or education, and extend his mental faculties, always providing that he chooses the kind of reading that will benefit him in this way.
An individual might benefit from taking up various interests, or practising certain hobbies, according to his talents, or spending his spare time acquiring new and useful skills, or learning something practical, either at home or at an institution, or from friends or advisers.
A young person might take part in any sporting activity to strengthen his body as long as this does not consume all his time.
But what a nice thing it is for someone to occupy his spare time in spiritual service, or in social work for the benefit of others! In serving others, he also benefits at the same time.
Besides this there are tasks which the Church can provide to fill young people’s free time, in a programme designed for their benefit. This could be by taking an interest in visual or oral aids to instruction, setting up meetings for discussion, organising parties and lectures, and various means of entertainment, which convey a spiritual benefit at the same time.
Interest must be shown, and efforts made to set up clubs and libraries of religious books, to develop constructive ways of using young people’s spare time and energies in a way that benefits them, and helps their talents to develop, while sharing in carrying out projects for the Church and participating in its activities.
