Often we think of freedom in a physical sense, meaning freedom of motion, but lately I've been noticing where I mentally and emotionally give up my freedom in my daily life. I was carefully trained to be this way. After all, my mom's mantra was "what will the neighbor's think". The implication was that her love depended upon my winning the approval of friends, family, neighbors, and people I didn't even know. I thought everything I did was being evaluated and judged by others. Not much freedom there.
The big problem is how can you know what someone else would approve of? You can't, of course, and since you can't, you're stuck. You can wait for cues, not speak unless someone else has voiced an opinion you can parrot, wear what everyone else is wearing, do what everyone else is doing, basically conform, conform, conform. Meanwhile the person you really are is smothered and shut down. You give yourself away until there's nothing left to hold onto of the person you came here to be.
I believe that our very presence on this earth means that the world needs us exactly as we are. Therefore, it's important that we find ourselves again and live our truth. It takes courage and self confidence, but it's essential for the health of the world as a whole for us to claim the freedom to be exactly who we are in every situation.
Like the old song says, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine". So many of us hide our light under a bushels of shame, doubt and fear. Marianne Williams says that we are more afraid of our light than our darkness. That means letting our light shine makes us not only a beacon for others, but a hero in our own life.
We came here to live our lives purely and truly. Our uniqueness provides the world with the contrast that sparks creativity, the creativity that inspires us to work for a world where everyone can live purely and truly and in emotional, mental and physical freedom.
The ONLY WAY FREE is down the path the world has stretched out before us. If you have trouble finding your path, remember that it is the only one that feels essential to your happiness. Once you've found it, stay on it no matter what. Be a hero. You won't be sorry.
Love, Kristine
