E: Being free

Certain words are known by all, but really tough to explain properly if put to the test. Love is one of them. Freedom another. We all want to be free. ’Cause what does it mean to be free? Really? I will share some immediate thoughts without spending to much time analyzing my own opinions – for now anyway.

The obvious thought goes to peace and prison releases. To be freed or free oneself is the greatest wish for anyone feeling trapped or at war.

But generally when I think of freedom, I think more in terms of inividual experiences, based on my Western perspective where liberty is seen as a premise.

A common challenge in the Western world is time. Time is precious. Time is money. Thus, free time is a valuable good. But having all the time in the world does not necessarily bring joy or freedom, if there is nothing with which to fill your time. Can you feel free witout doing something you find meaningful – whatever that may be?

The dictionary leads us in the line of ” the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action” and ”the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken”. In other words: Lack of restrictions.

“To do whatever one pleases” would be a common respons, I suspect. But is it freedom to have no guidelines what so ever? Is anarchy the ultimate freedom?

The Danish philospoher Søren Kirkegaard has described unlimited choices as likely to lead to anxiety. Too much to consider, can stroke like a straight-jacket.

In my church on Sunday, the sermon concerned living in the Spirit. The preacher said it lead to being free, which again was defined as being as close to yourself as possible. I really liked this way of looking at it. The choices to be made, opportunities to pursue and ways to act do, in my mind, feel the very best when they appear natural and right to what one is and wants to be. But who are we and who are we supposed to be?

Being Christian I know my purpose in life, the meaning of it, where I come from and where I am going. This gives me great comfort and calm, and makes the attitude towards life at ease.
The Biblical truth is to set us free (Joh 8:32), and free us from sin (2 Cor 3:17). This process is best described with imagary from the initial thought. To have chains and bars removed for the mind, soul, thoughts and person to act according to for what one has been created.