freedom. where for art thou?

I remember when i was a kid and the only thing i would worry about was playing outside with my friends, or seeing the latest showing of Dargon ball Z. there was such a freedom then, like i did not feel any pressures about school, girls, bills. Of course, we are all grown now and face many problems and difficulties everyday. But are we more free now or when we were younger? It seems as though the more we work, the more we get, the more we owe and the more we worry and struggle. why is this? every time we take a couple of steps forward, life it seems pushes us a couple more back. Where is the freedom in this? It seems lately that i only find freedom when i open a book and read or go to the gym. They are my esacpe, my escape from my 18 credit hours, worrying about bills, saving money for a new car, family issues. So is my freedom only defined in my escape? so for those couples of hours a day am i really free?
furthermore, as a Christian i was made free because Christ gave up his freedom for me and the removal of my sins. But being a Christian, even a half decent one is anything but freedom, cant do this, cant do that, cant touch her cause we are not married, i can drink this but not too much, if someone does me wrong i have to say "thank you may i have another"?. Where is the freedom in loving those that hate you? Where is the freedom in living in a world where you are most likey to get wronged by someone who looks just like you? Where is the freedom is all of this? I just got off the phone with H n R block setting up a meeting to finalize my taxes, taxes. the governments way of saying "hey i want your money bitch".
Does freedom only represent a mental state of liberty and non stress? I am finding out that the more freedom i get, the more challenging life becomes, with freedom comes more responisblilty and pressures to get things done. Life isn't just a sit down on a beach getting a tan, its the long walk home in a rainy thunderous night. This long and difficult walk is the true definition of freedom. Jesus Christ did say your walk would be difficult because mines was. Freedom is making things happen because you work hard for it, no strings attached.
Im making freedom sound so bad, i know. But i don't mean to. What is a life that is spent with just obeying orders and not being able to express yourself (one reaseon why i have dreads).