It’s hard to always make the best use of our time, much less fill an entire day with only the most worthwhile pursuits. But if you could, what would that day look like? That’s what Epoch Times reporters from Rio to Romania wanted to find out when they asked locals, “What’s your concept of a fruitful day?”
Adriano Mini, 72 Pensioner and Volunteer for the Diabetes Association of Valdarno
A fruitful day? I think we do not have many fruitful days in this life, in this world. If I look at three days of my life, one is bad, the other bad too, and maybe one is a little better. Okay, if we are talking about my concept of a fruitful day, for me this is a day with very good health. If we have good health, that day we are fortunate. Without health we are nothing, we are bad, we cannot live and think about anything else. If one day we are without money, but very good health, we have a fruitful day. If we have a lot of money, but don’t have good health, money doesn’t serve for nothing.
Lauren Preston, 23, Travel Agent
I think the concept of a fruitful day is coming home feeling I have been successful with everything I have achieved; fulfilling my client’s needs as a travel agent when at work. On a day off, I like to be productive and not waste a moment of our glorious Gold Coast weather.
Jytte Ortschytz, 86, Retired Classical Dancer and Circus Performer
For me that’s a matter of which season it is. Now, in the beginning of the autumn, I like to go out for a walk, see the flowers and the fruits, feel the smell of the soil. That makes me enjoy the day. Doing the laundry and other necessary things—at my age I am very satisfied to still be able to do them myself. I also like to bake and cook my own food.
And I practice qigong—sometimes I leave my doings for half an hour and do it. I find strength in that.
Carmen Hiticas, 23, Copywriter
No hidden and tropical islands, no mountaintops—just a quiet day between my books, my dog, and my boyfriend’s smoking pipe. Writing whenever I feel like doing it from my attic room, while playing jazz all over my house, with a forgotten wine glass on my wood table still waiting for me. That day, when I feel peachy, that will be a fruitful day.
Domerina Oliveira da Silva, 36, Massage Therapist
A fruitful day for me is when I can get all my bills paid and have a home to return to.
The Hague, The Netherlands
Dik Keikes, 45, Self-Employed Carpenter
A fruitful day? A day of vacation. Just enjoying this weather, doing nothing, feeling very hot with the sweat on your back. I am a self-employed carpenter. When a project goes smoothly, without setbacks and you can do as planned, then it is a fruitful day. Working well, earning well. That is what this society is all about, right? Seems conflicting—I just said a day of vacation doing nothing and enjoying the weather is a fruitful day and now also a good day is when work goes well. This is my first day after my vacation to Spain.
I work the whole year and during my vacation I do nothing. Got up, walked to the beach and walked back again, that is what I did in Spain. Today is a good day. It is the first day again after my vacation to Spain, I had no expectations so it goes well.
Hamburg, Germany
Dirk Kühne, 27, Student and self employed
A fruitful day is when I go to work during day time, so that I can enjoy the finishing time, have a comfortable evening and maybe be together with friends. For me it’s important to be productive during daytime, then I can enjoy my spare time.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week, when Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: What are some of the biggest cultural faux-pas in your country?
