The Freedom of Obligation
It’s a beautiful July day. I lay relaxing in a field of long, stringy, green grass sporadically decorated with pink flowers. Gazing up at the clear blue sky, I notice the stems of the flowers surpass my head and boldly face the sunlight, gleefully absorbing each and every ray. A small, oblong cloud advances over the sun, providing a momentary sense of shade. It is the first day off I have had in two weeks and as I wait for the sun to reappear, I cannot help but remind myself of everything else I ought to be doing. A cool, gentle breeze soothingly provides a quick relief from the heat. Gazing at my watch I notice that I have already exceeded my allotted sun bathing time by fifteen minutes. Picking myself up from the soft ground, I obligingly make my way back to the house. I can already hear the disappointment in Lydia’s voice.