Less than a decade ago freedom meant leaving my infant with my husband and going to the grocery store alone.  Shortly thereafter, I came to the abrupt understanding that freedom was the privilege of my whole life. I have the freedom to come and go, to choose my work, to choose where I live and whom I hang out with, and to express myself freely.  Too young at the time to have grasped Vietnam (or its preceding wars), I never understood the sacrifice that is made daily by brave people so I can take my freedom for granted.  I grasp it now and am sobered by it.

I don’t mean to write a patriotic tribute here, but I am inspired by what freedom means.  As I was riding my new bicycle last Friday enjoying a cool breeze and an endorphin high, I realized that what I was relishing in that moment was freedom.  I was moving faster than my own body could have taken me and I had the physical space that made me feel unencumbered.  I did not have to be anywhere at that particular moment and I could choose where I wanted to go as the road came upon me.  It was a transcendent feeling.  I wonder how else we can create freedom in our lives.

How can we create more time and space for ourselves?

How can we create financial freedom? Not necessarily a millionaire’s trust but the freedom to stop sweating one’s finances.

How can we create more room for opportunity?

Once again, I am privileged to even be able to ask the questions.  We have a choice and that is the ultimate freedom.  The question then, is what do we choose? Do we choose to suffer?  Do we choose to stay in situations that do not serve us? Do we choose to do nothing and assume we do not have the power to change something?

It really does come down to a choice. The choice to live and keep on growing or the choice to shrivel up and die in spirit.

What is freedom?  In a society where we are not at the mercy of militant leaders, freedom is a state of mind.  It’s declaring yourself free of the mental decisions and frameworks that dictate your limits.  It is purposely creating a choice between that which opens you to opportunity and that, which closes you off from any shot at it.  It’s the choice to persevere despite any odds against you.

What will you transcend?  What will you release?  What will tell you,  you are free?