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Freedom

justamjustam Posts: 21,412
edited May 2006 in Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
So I was thinking about freedom today. Wondering why some people have it and others don't. Wars are fought for people's rights...the early Americans fought and struggled with a King for freedoms they didn't have...and other people continue to fight to try to keep freedoms from being taken away.

So how does it happen that individuals can live and feel like they have no freedom? Enslaved to responsibilities, other people, duties that eat up time...
(I was thinking this while cutting my lawn and trimming the front hedges. They were bushy and long and I felt I had to devote my morning to this job!)

And I came to several conclusions: people who have freedom demand it, and they take it, they don't wait for someone else to give it to them...because the truth is, no one gives away freedom.

You have to fight for it and then continue to fight for it so it doesn't go away. This is true on a grand scale as well as a personal one. :)
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Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • EvilToasterElfEvilToasterElf Posts: 1,119
    Freedom is an obscure term thrown about to whip people into a frenzy. We do anything but fight to keep our freedom. We invade Iraq and let the Patriot Pass, we setup Guantanimo Bay and then let the president illegally wiretap the citizens he's sworn to protect. We cut taxes and then go into massive deficit spending, which will be payed mostly by the class that recieved no relief from the tax cuts.

    It's almost as if freedom required too much thought and we'd rather be told what to do. As long as we're comfortable.
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. and we all got plenty to lose, so we'll never be trully free.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • Being EnlightenedBeing Enlightened Posts: 5,746
    justam, I love this post! You put into words many thoughts I've had--it's great!

    I love your thoughts as well, ETE. On the grand scale, it does seem that most people want to be led around by the hand and just generally ignore all those icky things they see happening someplace far away on their TV screens...It's somebody else's job...It's somebody else's life...It's the bravery of being out of range...And as the general public is mislead into believing so-called enemies,"hate us for our freedom", that freedom is quietly being stolen away.

    :D catefrances!! Love the Joplin reference and ain't it the truth! Once you have nothing, there IS nothing to lose! "If nothing is everything then I will have it all." :)
    Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in. - Leonard Cohen
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,412
    EvilToasterElf wrote:
    Freedom is an obscure term thrown about to whip people into a frenzy. We do anything but fight to keep our freedom. We invade Iraq and let the Patriot Pass, we setup Guantanimo Bay and then let the president illegally wiretap the citizens he's sworn to protect. We cut taxes and then go into massive deficit spending, which will be payed mostly by the class that recieved no relief from the tax cuts.

    It's almost as if freedom required too much thought and we'd rather be told what to do. As long as we're comfortable.

    You're thinking about what's going on in the world now, and that's natural...but this train of thought started for me on a much more personal level.

    I was thinking about how many days I don't feel free. I have to take care of so many people, and have several jobs, and a house and sometimes I feel like I'm enslaved by these responsibilities. I can't just go places when I want to. I can't just drop everyone and do what I want to do.

    It made me start thinking about people who DO feel free to do that. Some people hire others to do their jobs (nannies, housekeepers, gardeners, etc.) and other people just let the jobs slide (like the way my husband can ignore any yardwork or housework that needs to be done!!) until someone else does it. They carve out space for themselves, and just take the time.

    So it started me thinking that, in fact, that seems to be the way people GET freedom. They demand it and take it. Not waiting for someone else to give to them--because most people aren't so self-sacrificing that they'll consciously say "Here, I'll spend my day doing this boring job so you can go have fun!" they just take it.

    And even then, to retain the right to do what you want, you have to be vigilant and may have to fight to be sure your open space doesn't get encroached upon.
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  • twin1twin1 Posts: 902
    I see where you are coming from with this Justam. Mom's and wives have a tendancy to put others and their needs before their own. That is not a bad thing, you love them. However, if you don't maintain some type of balance it can be destructive and make you resentful, feel taken for granite. Freedom is something that is everyone's right. We are all valuable and have something to contribute. Everyone has to do things they don't like, however, we can use our gifts too and make them a priority, not just the responsiblity stuff. Make time for you too so you can give your family the best that you have which can't happen if you neglect you. :)
    Our love must not be just words, but True Love, which shows itself in action,
    No one needs a smile more than someone who fails to give one,
    After you die...you know how to LIVE!
  • pickupyourwillpickupyourwill Posts: 3,135
    catefrances wrote:
    freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. and we all got plenty to lose, so we'll never be trully free.

    I couldn't agree more. When you're stuck in a boring, monotonous job like mine 40 hrs a week paying off you're debt to society and at the same time given an overwhelming amount of responsibilities in your personal life, a person tends to feel not so free anymore. I like to think I have a big heart and that I can pray for so many people, but I guess it takes a lot more out of me than I realize. I've got plenty of family to lose by being truly free----we all do. If you spread yourself out too much, then those closest to you get left with nothing. If you're too free and at times selfish, then you lose sight of those most important to you. I have a hard time trying to find a balance.

    This is my take on that statement anyway---for what it's worth.
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,412
    twin1 wrote:
    I see where you are coming from with this Justam. Mom's and wives have a tendancy to put others and their needs before their own. That is not a bad thing, you love them. However, if you don't maintain some type of balance it can be destructive and make you resentful, feel taken for granite. Freedom is something that is everyone's right. We are all valuable and have something to contribute. Everyone has to do things they don't like, however, we can use our gifts too and make them a priority, not just the responsiblity stuff. Make time for you too so you can give your family the best that you have which can't happen if you neglect you. :)

    I think you are right about balance being important. I have decided that should probably be the area I need to think about more.
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