Pt. 4, Ch.1. Spiritual Life in the Family
Work and Spiritual Life
— Geronta,
in the old days they would say, “Better to wear out your shoes rather than
blankets.” What did they mean?
— They meant, “Better to wear out your shoes by
working than to stay in bed and be lazy.” Work is a blessing, a gift of God. It
gives energy to the body, refreshment to the nous. If God had not given us
work, man would have become idle. Hard workers do not stop even in old age. If
they stop working while they still have strength, they end up suffering from
depression; this is death for them. I remember one little old man in Konitsa,
almost ninety years old, who worked continuously. He finally died out in the
fields, two hours from home.
Besides,
the state of bodily comfort which some people seek is never permanent. They may
forget their stress for a time—have their food, their sweets, their baths,
their leisure. But, as soon as this is over, they seek another form of comfort.
They are constantly anxious because everything leaves them wanting; they feel
an emptiness, and their souls seek to be filled. He who wearies from work,
however, has a constant joy, spiritual joy.
— Geronta,
what if you have back problems and aren’t able to do just any work?
— Fine, but doesn’t the back need exercise?
Doesn’t work that exercises the back help? Listen, I’ll tell you: “If someone
eats, drinks, and sleeps but doesn’t work, he starts unraveling; he wants to sleep
all the time because his body and nerves slacken. Little by little he comes to
the point where he can’t do anything. As soon as he walks a little, he falls
apart. Instead, if he works a little and moves around, his hands and feet
become stronger. Notice that those who love work don’t sleep much, and they
don’t sleep from fatigue—they might not get any sleep for a time, yet they keep
their strength: work has seasoned them, and they became strong in body.
Especially
for a young person, work is health. I have observed that some pampered children
become tough and seasoned when they go into the military. The military is good
for them. Naturally, this happened more in the old days. Today they are afraid
to push the soldiers, because with a little strain the veins are constricted
and they suffer from nervous shock. I tell parents to pay someone to allow
their children to work for them, to promote their health—this serves to give
them a job they like, so that they will learn to like work in general. For, a
young person who is energetic also has brains, and if he doesn’t work he will
become lazy. Of course, when he sees others succeeding he is confused by his
egoism and can’t take pleasure in anything. He constantly has disturbing
thoughts and his mind is muddled. Later the devil goes to him and says: “Loser!
What a good-for-nothing you are! So and so became a professor, and that other
guy has his own business making good money, but where will you end up?” This
makes him feel hopeless. If he had worked, however, he would have acquired
confidence in himself, in a good sense of the word. He would see that even he
is able to get along, and his mind would stay occupied on his job and free him
from disturbing thoughts. That way it’s a win-win.
CONVERSATION