The Hammock

Hammocks are a lovely piece of outdoor furniture. I know I'm not alone in my reaction to them. They inspire me with longing, knowing that, when I truly set into one, I have nothing better to do than to lounge in the open air.

For some reason, I've usually not let myself lounge in a hammock unless I was already care-free. Was that deferred gratification some sick method of spurring myself to be more productive? "Only after I finish that chapter of my book," perhaps I was saying to myself, "will I be worthy of the soft, swinging indulgence of an afternoon alone in a hammock?" Despite this attitude, I did manage to take advantage of hammocks now and then -- and they were fantastic.