What is Freedom, Anyway?
Thanks to the bravery of our soldiers, we have freedom to be America. We’ve maintained this freedom for more than 200 years and therefore don’t have the experience to know what it’s like not to have it.
For our individual freedoms, it’s a feeling we pursue for personal gratification. For many, the “freedom” we desire represents things we believe provide us much more satisfaction in our lives. For example, it’s wanting to retire as soon as possible, win the lottery or work hard to earn more.
My Dad proudly serving in Vietnam, came home safely. For the many that did not, we honor them today.
We want the freedom to own our time and have the ability to decide how we spend it. Personal freedoms are having the control to decide how we spend the best years of our health, rainy days curled up to watch movies, or bask in the sun at the beach – versus standing at the copier daydreaming about “someday”.
It’s why we associate freedom with money. We think that if we want to be free of responsibility, free to explore adventures, free of debt, free of labor, free to travel and free to give to others what we wish we could – we must be able to afford it. The fact that we are actually free to have the opportunity to achieve all these things can be forgotten because although we all must work hard to get a week off and travel to Tahiti, we’ve not lived in an era when we weren’t allowed not to do it.
Freedom from Obligation
Since we haven’t felt what a country without freedom is like, we must always feel gratitude to those that gave away their lives – which is more valuable than any personal freedom we will pay for with money.
Being prepared for your future is wise and worth the sacrifices of saving, investing and learning about money. However, finding enjoyment, appreciation and happiness in each day is just as important. It would be unfortunate that you spend your days resentfully waiting for the future because someone has already sacrificed their life for your freedom and ability to achieve that American Dream. So don’t waste right now, or waste your savings.
So what is free, anyway? We know that no matter where our incomes and outcomes land or what our land’s future becomes, the one thing that is always free. Grace.
I hope everyone let’s Grace in, as that was the greatest gift given to us of all – fo free.
It’s there waiting for you. Accept it.
