Chains of Freedom - Alice Rosewell

 

In my early life I always assumed that freedom was just around the corner, or at the very most, some few years away. Freedom from parental supervision, freedom from the constraints of full-time educations, freedom from financial insecurity or reliance on others for a home.

Nowadays I long for freedom from more uncertain evils; from knee pain, from concerns about my children, from anxiety about the state of the planet, country, education, the health service.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains”. Whatever his original intent, we can all see where we have given up freedoms in exchange for security, comfort, and connection with others.

But is freedom always associated with good? Now that I no longer have to go out to work I am free to lie in bed listening to podcasts and playing solitaire on my laptop until midday if I want. But is indulging in this most comfortable freedom depriving myself of others more valuable, freedom to write, to act, to create; and to benefit from all the other freedoms which are available to me?

So I must ask myself, of the multitude of conflicting freedoms available in the modern democratic world, which will I choose this day, this moment?

Lying in bed all morning is a valid choice providing I’m not reneging on responsibilities to others which I have willingly undertaken, but -

I may be adding to my store of future ill-health by not taking exercise or eating properly.

I may be adding to my store of future regret by not using my time in a more profitable or creative way.

Here and now I have the freedom to choose. A self-administered kick up the bum? Or another cup of tea and the comfort of my duvet. Such a burden and responsibility is freedom!

 

My name is Alice Rosewell and I live in the city of Bristol in the South West of England (UK), the city where I was born.  I write in British English, so I hope that American readers will not be put off by British spelling of some words.

The first story I remember writing was at primary school, about the age of 7. This was followed by a dry spell which lasted about 50 years during which I got through University, brought up a couple of kids, and had a successful career in IT.

I had the outline of a story which I’d dreamed up one evening in the pub, but that sat in a folder for about a decade until I got made redundant for the 2nd time in one year! This event coincided with the Kindle becoming mainstream, and Indie publishing an option. I dusted off my few pages of ideas and got to work. For the last few years, I have been writing contemporary women’s fiction, publishing three novels: Irrelevant Women, The Kite Makers, and my latest, An End to Dreaming.  A good friend described my writing as intriguing, uplifting, and will not give you nightmares!  I think that about sums it up.