On Freedom

       

When most of us think of living a life of freedom, we probably think of this from a political perspective. We feel the effects of freedom when we are in a land or locale that lives by a system of laws which are agreed upon by those who consent to let themselves be governed by them. This is the essence of democratic living rather than living under a circumstance that is the oppressive construct of a singular person or oligarchical group that governs according to personal whim or repressive force, regimes where personal lives may be at stake if they run counter to the desires of the authoritarian ruler. 

Our personal freedoms...

Yes, we know this. We all learned this in school, but right now I am thinking of our personal freedoms, those awarenesses in us that guide us into living by our choices and being willing to be responsible for the results of these choices. Truly free people must follow their own lights while at the same time respecting the similar or dissimilar lights of others. In a free situation we cannot always do all that we want to do, and there is great wisdom in recognizing this and agreeing to it. Always having our own way usually means that someone else cannot have theirs. In the give-and-take of “yours” and “mine," there is always an “ours” to be considered. When we allow ourselves to be diminished by the wishes of others, we are not living in freedom. When we force others to our will, we are also not living in freedom.

The sterling practice of restraint...

As free people we know who we are and where our personal boundaries lie. We also know when our desire to act begins to intrude upon someone else’s experience of wellbeing. Herein lies the sterling practice of restraint, a wonderful tool owned and exercised by all truly free people!

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