I would say exactly at this moment. Seriously. I have more obligations than when I was younger, but they don't feel restrictive in any way. I have more love and more money in my life right now than I thought possible until very recently, and these things are both quite liberating. This certainly isn't as romantic as thinking about the open road as a youngster, but I wouldn't trade my life now for the one I had where I used to follow around Phish and scrounge for enough money to buy a grilled cheese in the parking lot. That was fun as hell, but my options were limited. Right now, I can go anywhere, do anything I want. mk and I are on our way to a business trip oversees in a couple weeks. What's freer than a free trip with a good friend to an awesome part of the world to go freely talk about science with a bunch of other science nerds who are there for the same reason? Life couldn't get any better, I'm afraid.
yeah, now is good. Of course if one is not feeling free right now, it might be worth asking: Are my chains of my own choosing and worth wearing because of the benefits they bring (e.g. a job, a family)? Are my chains not of my choosing and can they be broken by a change of belief or behaviour? Were my chains once of my own choosing (e.g. addictions), but now enslave me? and so on.