# The free afternoon after school

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-first-taste-of-freedom-afternoon-off
- Themes: freedom, peace, childhood
- Life situations: overwork, stress, seeking peace

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

At 13 or 14, with an afternoon off school and all his homework done at lunchtime, the boy walks out of the school gates with nothing to do, nowhere to go and no appointments — free to do anything. He still remembers it as his first taste of freedom.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

You know one of the first times I felt free, going back to my experience in childhood I had this afternoon off school and at lunch time, I did all my homework. So as I walked out those school gates, and actually had nothing to do, and nowhere to go, I had no appointments, no business which I needed to complete. I remember that afternoon even now I was then about 13 or 14 at the time it was my first experience of freedom. I could do whatever I wanted, go wherever I wanted with no constraints at all no force, no compulsion, totally free. It's a beautiful feeling. Can you ever feel like that? You don't have to achieve anything you don't have to fulfill any duties, complete any projects you can just be. That told me what freedom was.

## Teaching point

Freedom is having nothing you must do or become — the 'taste of freedom' (vimutti rasa).

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

At thirteen or so, homework finished at lunchtime, he walked out of the school gates with a free afternoon, no appointments and nowhere he had to be. He still remembers it as his first taste of freedom. Adult life rarely offers that by accident, so make room for it on purpose: a few hours with nothing to achieve and nobody to become.

## Source

- [Putting Meaning Into Life | Ajahn Brahm | 03-12-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG5IadQxhvE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 41:11 to 42:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG5IadQxhvE&t=2471s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Happiness and Wanting | Ajahn Brahm | 24 February 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taAa3uWPm2o) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:24 to 16:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taAa3uWPm2o&t=924s