Independence

A few days before America celebrated her independence from the British, Eleanor left her job as a clinical social worker after 25 years in the field.  The connection between the two events was not lost on Chauncey.  He asked Eleanor if she realized that on July 4^th she would be celebrating not only the nation’s but her own independence as well.  Eleanor said that she had missed the coincidence and thanked Chauncey for pointing it out to her.  She felt the weight of freedom from salaried employment.  She wondered what she would do each day when she did not have to get up and go to work.  Perhaps she could take the summer off from worrying about what she would do with the rest of her life.  Maybe, just for July and August,  she could keep from thinking about when Chauncey’s book would be published or how her 20 year-old daughter would find someone to take over the lease she signed on an apartment in a town where she had decided not to return to for college.  Eleanor told Chauncey what was on her mind.  Chauncey replied, “It's not easy being free.”  Eleanor looked up at the royal palm and marveled at how tall it was. 

Eleanor looked up at the royal palm.