Tuesday, July 4, 2017

What is Freedom?

They say our country is free, but is that really true?

I know the freedoms we have…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness… given out in equal proportions so they say.
Life is a gift that is squandered by many…wasted on fragile pursuits and burdened on the back of regrets they cannot shake.
Liberty is not equal…many fight for freedom before and after leaving their cells…fight to stand and be recognized as free women and men, yet dragged down by their race or gender under the watchful eye of inequity.
The Pursuit of Happiness is a path that many chase but even fewer realize…even when happiness is caught, is it at the expense of others and does it last?
All three are fleeting…all three sound great on paper…all are noble pursuits.
In the end freedom is won in small victories…in quiet moments and in moments of great and small victories played out in gyms and classrooms and hospitals and lawyer’s offices.
Freedom is a lifelong struggle…a daily fight…a goal is that never conquered.
Freedom is found in the pursuit… in the everyday victories that sometimes seem far away from our sight.
On a lonely windswept hill in a distant country, a little boy or girl imagines the freedom they desire…ones that we already have on our worst day. 
While we enjoy our freedoms and dream of lofty pursuits, let us never forget that freedom for some is a chance to breathe clean air, run and feel the rush of adrenaline in their veins, own something that stands and gives security to their family, or taste a bit of fresh bread after hours of hunger.
Let us remember that freedom is pursued by many, but captured by so few. 
You say you are free, but is that really true?


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