Wheels and Freedom

Its a Sunday afternoon, early fall, the sun is shinning in a sea of blue. I put on rollerblades and go for a spin around the neighborhood. I feel the gentle breeze on my face and I feel at peace. At last I am free, free from work, school, stress, the world, nothing can stop me now...



Since the age of the cavemen, we have become obsessed with wheels. They are our major source of transportion and recreation. Whether it be rollerblades, cars, biclycles, scooters, motorcycles, skateboards, whatever, we all tend to feel a sense of freedom and independence when used. Why is this?



Many times throughout our lives we associate milestones in our lives with one of objects with wheels. Your a big boy or girl once you have taken the training wheels off your bike, and your becomming an adult when it is time to get your liscense. These events and more give us a sense of excitement and make us happy. Is that why we feel free? When you finally get to drive, is it the thought that you can hop in the car and go anywhere you desire, but in reality your parents have total control over the use of your car.



So this makes me wonder if it isn't the wheels themselves that give you a sense of freedom. It is your feet really, for none of these things could operate without them. You can't ride a bike without using your feet to pedal, you can't even drive a car without the you pressing your foot on the gas. So the question is still, why do we associate this sense of freedom with wheels? Perhaps its not the wheel or your feet, maybe it truly is just a thought, a feeling that we have inside of us.