A Day Spent Doing Nothing

Much like the infamous Scrooge, we're all constantly forging chains that weigh us down, chains that bind us to this world of ours. Unlike Scrooge, it isn't our misdeeds; no it's something far more voluntary.

It's our commitments. Our promises. Our struggle to meet the expectations of our nearest and dearest.

We work on these chains, forging each link with love and patience, with dutiful hope of a better tomorrow. Yet somehow, the monotonous whirr of everyday life has succeeded in drowning out the childlike "want" that we once possessed. Our minds have started associating "idleness" with "bedtime", a concept which once deeply repulsed the child: a child no more.

Remember when you had to get up early the next morning but stayed up late anyway? The fun would be worth the consequences, or so the five-year-old reasons.

Or perhaps when you ate nothing but ice-cream for an entire day. Calories, what's that?

And that game of hide-and-seek, that you left in middle? With all the other children waiting to be found; a pity, but your favorite show was about to start any minute now.

A wistful smile, a knowing nod, and the idea is dismissed. With everything you have to do, each task desperate for your attention, it simply isn't an option to do what you "want". Or so you say.

But one can dream, yes?

Imagine a day where you have nothing to do, and I mean absolutely nothing. All time stands frozen except for you. What would you do if you had nothing to do and all the time to do anything you wanted?

You can't be accused of wasting time if time itself is frozen. You needn't worry how each wasted second affects your meticulously planned out future. Eat what you want, you have the time to lose those calories as well. Act as you please, for time has promised to hide till you come and seek.

Give the child a chance to rattle those chains you've spent years forging. Let them ring merrily as you do what you want to, not what you have to. Live.

Tap on ‘start writing’ below and mention ‘a day spent doing nothing’ in your story description when you publish.