Define 'freedom'.

Liverpool is currently trailing behind 1-2 at the hard frozen Oldham ground. Damn it. As per usual when this kind of things happen I always chicken out at half-time so it would feel like a miracle would have happened if Liverpool managed to pull one back. TV's off. Fan's off. Lights' off. The walk of shame back to my bedroom didn't go absent of thoughts. The very TV area I walked on extracted one memory - one general memory that comprised the accumulation of similar memories and moments that I never regretted having, despite the thin wallet I had.

I was unemployed for more than one year. Being a university student for four years, not including the hectic journey of preschool to preuniversity studies, my brain had been adapted to thinking - a lot. The choices might not be revolutionary, they might not change the world but any thought would do to make me sane throughout what I call a phase of nothingness. My own thoughts = my familiar territory. Let's be realistic, I also needed the physical ambience to survive the world. One does not simply live through mental forces only.

This led us to the everyday moment of me waking up early in the morning for one year. Give me five to fifteen minutes to make my own philosophy in life, only then would I get off from bed, open the door to my bedroom and view a never-changing scene - my 3-year-old nephew and 2-year-old niece laying down on the floor or the sofa or the cushions deeply staring into their iPads. My nephew would call on me to help him play helicopter simulation games. I would have him wait for me as I had to empty my bladder first. I would get my coffee, breads and then spend time with these two bestfriends closest to me in any way I could. Approaching noon, they would go to sleep and the door to my bedroom would open like a  gesture that gave me a welcome. I would sit in front of my laptop and decide whether or not I should continue my writing. Any decision I came up with didn't affect my life entirely. I didn't give a shit. No one gave a shit. A year went by and the little nephew finally moved to a new place. The next morning was different. It was like having an item you loved so much and at the end of the day the boss came to your door and said, 'It's not yours. Give that to me and it'll stay in the museum. You can visit it any time you want, at certain times only.' I then continued spending my time with the little niece, a pretty little girl with a bad morning temper, though quite adorable for a 2-year-old. Her favourite housemaid finally went back to her home country and this left me with nothing in the morning because now the little niece had to spend time with her aunts somewhere else every morning because there was no one to babysit her at that short moment. Meanwhile, I finally got a job offer. Things changed at the right time, perfectly synchronized. Things suddenly changed for the better. Or is it?

Things have been going better - Yes. At last, I now can look forward for the end of the month and I can work peacefully without the distracting thoughts of questioning what the younglings were doing at home and how they would wonder where their favourite uncle is.

But you wanna know what's the best moment of my life? That every single night of one whole year when I knew I didn't have to think of anything. I was free from all responsibility. I checked my Facebook homepage and everyone at work was whining and bitching about their so-called pathetic life, having to wake up early and confront idiotic bosses from 8-5, every single day. I was glad I didn't have to be them. I was free. I was myself. I was in my own world. Living with my thoughts. I could spin-kick my neighbour's head and no one would care. No boss to worry about. I had no financial responsibility and obligation to buy new things. Wow. I miss that moment. Tell me, when was the last time you had even one minute thinking about nothing? seriously NOTHING. Tell you what, I was proud to experience it for one whole year. I stepped back from the race and watched my fellows go by. It's not a bad feeling at all.  Every night was freedom. Every next morning was freedom.