Daily writing prompt: What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom is a misunderstood word in America. What should be included in the national dialogue about freedom are not the President’s or Glenn Beck’s latest sound bites. The antitheses to freedom and how to avoid being mastered by other people should be studied and understood by everyone desiring to be free. Those are truly interesting subjects. As an American I have met more people subject to bondage than are subjects of true freedom. This poor word has been bludgeoned to common obfuscation by the misguided media. Those poor voices sold their souls long ago to divided, unloving agendas. And yet they have the task of “informing” a free people? The beauty of freedom is it’s perdurable nature despite the presence of unwise malefactors who lead on the shifting sands of amorality and fad. The only question for those desiring to be free is, how far are they willing to go?

I was required to overcome a lack of inspiration in order to write this post. My own views conspiring to thwart a post on this subject testify to the widespread false constructs attached to the word ‘freedom’, and how far they can reach inside each one of us. How easy we internalize what is not our own making. I dare say that is one of the chief hindrances to being totally free in this country. Scarcely do we realize where we as individuals end and family, or others, or the world, or the media begins. The first thing freedom means to me, is knowing myself apart from everything and everybody else.

Freedom is original. Freedom is beautiful. Freedom is extant. Freedom is free to be itself when it is shackled by nothing. This is an important thought. Because many of us do not realize the influences we are under, unless a productive isolation from those influences has typified an individual’s life for at least a season. Isolation is not typical nor is it a normal state for social creatures. See what I just did? I just spoke against social creatures isolating themselves. These are the niggling little things, spoken by others, that prey upon personal preferences, thoughts, needs, or creed. Isolation may not be normal, or preferred. Without it I never could’ve grasped the layers of third-party beliefs that were daily fomenting inner rebellions against my own identity. Against my own freedom.

This happened to me once. And the happening was quite a long time. I was separated from family and friend. Cagey distrust slid between them and I like a trench box between two opposing walls of soil. And in the middle was a schism. I’ll call that schism progress. Because as soon as I began healing, thinking, and progressing in my own life, every method of persecution found me. The quarters bearing the most virulent oppression were those that housed members bearing my own surname. They were the ones who stood to lose the most as I gained true freedom. Have you ever done something that you knew would violate the opinions or social norms of your family? It’s awesome. And not for the sake of division for division’s sake; nor vice for the shear purpose of amplifying vice.

But freedom for freedom’s sake to do good.

The space or schism between you, this world, the antichrist, or whoever, and me, means I am free to attain progress. Freedom is defying the forces that wrongfully attempt to bind. You must understand, the attainment of true freedom is not a solitary act. Freedom is like gardening. When a garden is installed, it cannot simply be left to its own devices. Real gardening has a maintenance component. The maintenance component for freedom is resistance. Resistance against the insidious thoughts of others that give you no space to be yourself. Resistance against the “wise ones” who possess empty counsel and willfully lead others astray. Resistance against the pious churchgoers who have every latent and direct suggestion for how you should walk in this life, yet, are themselves citizens of Hell. What I mean to tell you, is that, should you find true freedom, don’t expect anyone else to understand.