Hello Dear Ones!

Free to be; free to feel; free to do; free to go; free to have; free to want; free to think; free to say …

I am blessed living in the ‘free’ world. I can not discuss what it might be like not to. I have no experience living outside of that reality. I can read about it in the newspaper or watch and hear about it on the television or through the  internet. I do not know what the absence of being free feels like or how it affects one’s choices, actions, thoughts, and beliefs. I can surmise, hypothesize and empathize. I can not know. Nor do I care to know. It would be foolish of me to even try.

I only know that in my world, I feel empowered to be, do, go, have, want, think and say anything I choose in any given moment. I consider myself free.

“If everyone did exactly what they want to do, what kind of world would this be?” And we say, a really, really good one. Because if everyone did what they wanted to do, everyone would feel free. And if you feel free, you feel empowered. And every negative emotion that exists—hear this—every negative emotion that exists is because there is some sense of loss of freedom somewhere in there.” ~ Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Syracuse, NY on Wednesday, September 29th, 2004

Tough topic, and since I, in my Pollyanna existence, keep to only the more positive aspects of life and living, I’ve chosen happier feeling thoughts from Dr. Seuss:

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
— Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You’ll Go!)

Now to me, that’s being free! Though I know not everyone has the luxury of shoes (and some who are free to prefer not to bother wearing them even when they can) there are many in this world who can’t afford a loaf of bread let alone a pair of shoes.

“And the turtles, of course…all the turtles are free,
as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”
— Dr. Seuss

Yet I can do nothing for those who do not perceive themselves as being free. Certainly I could contribute financially when possible to help in some small way or I could contribute of my passions to aid this or that cause. However, each of us chooses our own personal realities – you choose yours and I choose mine.

“Allow the world to live as it chooses, and allow yourself to live as you choose.”
Richard Bach

Even in my free existence, my thoughts can imprison me as easily as the most secure, the most restrictive of jails, the most oppressive of governments. Negative emotions, primarily fear, can keep me blocked and bound, gagged and immobile. Things I am free to do, be or have can be denied me by my own perceptions, my own beliefs, thinking myself as being limited. Such negative thoughts and feelings create the very choices not to indulge in such joyous potential.

“In order to live free and happily you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice.”
Richard Bach

Sacrificing boredom … what does that mean? It means that I choose to act with courage and with confidence. It means taking steps that might normally frighten me, yet that I know are in my own best interest – because I know I can. Knowing I can is expressing my ability to be free. If I make a mistake, I am free to choose again … and again … and again if need be.

“I gave my life to become the person I am right now. Was it worth it?”
Richard Bach

Was it worth giving my life to become the person I am? For me, a resounding – YES -  bursts forth from me! I have granted myself the ability to be free to become who I am today. I am free to grow into who I shall become in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. I say it now about what led me here and I say it now about where the journey might yet lead me … it is worth feeling myself free and acting on that feeling every step of the way!

In Light and Laughter,

Marcia

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