1. How Important is Leisure Time?

In our fast-paced world, it is almost impossible to avoid building up tension from stress. All
of us confront stress daily; anything that places an extra demand on us is stress.

We encounter stress on the job, and we face it at home. The body responds the stress by
“mobilizing its defenses.” Blood pressure rises and muscles get ready to act.

If our tension is not relieved, it can start numerous reactions, both physical and
psychological. Yet, we can learn to cope with stress effectively and to avoid its consequences.

According to researcher Hans Selye of the University of Montreal, the effects of stress
depend on what happens to us, but on the way we react. In times of stress, taking a few
moments to sit quietly and relax can make anyone feel better.

2. I have a friend, her name is Ayu. He lives with his father and mother in Surabaya. He
is the only child in the family. Yesterday when I visited him. They come home from
vacation and have incidents. The travel bus that took them had an accident on their
way to Jogja. The accident resulted in several serious injuries and several minor
injuries, fortunately they still survived death. After the incident they were
immediately evacuated to the hospital for help. They said it was the worst experience
and they were grateful to be alive.