Sweet Freedom

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” – Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Let’s talk about tyranny. Let’s talk about something compelling me to do what I don’t want to do, to live a life I don’t want to live, to die a physical death or a soul death, to screw with my pursuit of happiness, my well-being, my serenity, to keep me caged and trapped on a gerbil wheel of thoughts and actions in service of something other than my own autonomy and fulfillment. Let’s talk about that.

And then let’s talk about a deeper force, another sense of power, persistent enough, passionate enough to overcome whatever needs to be overcome to be free. Free to live the life I want to live, the way I want to live it. To be the kind of person I want to be, in my head, my body, and my world. To be of service to others and to my truer self. Let’s talk about that.

Let’s get free. Not dance around banging drums free, though I’d do that sure and that’s all good, but dance around doing what must be done free. Daily, incremental, consistent, honoring of the big wish, the big life, the big true self. Free to do the work of figuring out what I’m here to do and doing it. Free to connect with others as I am, as they are, to have the human experience in this body, in this life.

My true self does not care much what’s for lunch or which parade we attend or don’t attend today. My true self will be fine regardless of what you do, as long as you don’t step on me. My true self will tell you, clearly, to step off if you screw with me or my friends, or my family, which basically means everyone. My true self will never ever ever give up. Happy Fourth. I’m gonna keep going.