What Does Freedom Mean?

Back in the 70's, a cartoon series created by Kim Casali was published in almost every syndicated newspaper in America under her pen name "Kim". It was a simple cartoon and stemmed from a series of love notes that Kim drew for her husband. It was titled - "Love Is".

I was a teenager and "in love" with "love". I collected every cartoon printed in our paper and kept them in a series of photo albums. There must have been three or four albums with 12 cartoons to a page. "Kim" must have made a fortune on them.

For some reason, I found myself thinking of these wonderful little cartoons this morning and I wondered -

If I was a cartoonist, how many cartoons could I generate on the theme of "Freedom Is".

Well, I'm no cartoonist but I woke up today intensely grateful for the freedom I have and I wanted to delve into my own thoughts on freedom. I want to explore what "freedom" really means to me. This is my list.

• I am free to vote; to participate in a democratic process.
• I am free to love the person or people I choose, not those that are chosen for me.
• I am free to choose a spiritual life, or not, and to practice that belief in the manner I choose.
• I am free to climb to the top of a mountain and sit with God in the silence.
• I am free to sit with my feet in the creek and release my worries to the current that carries them downstream.
• I am free to express myself, through the spoken or written word.
• I am free to decide if I will have children and to decide the size of my family.
• I am free to walk in public without a scarf over my face or a covering on my head.
• I am free to grow my own food.
• I am free to choose a career.
• I am free to share what I have with those in need, regardless of their race, creed, or gender.
• I am free to sell or give away what I no longer need or want.
• I am free to live where I choose.
• I am free to travel.
• I am free to celebrate national or religious holidays, or to create my own.
• I am free to walk outside and get lost in the stars.
• I am free to enjoy the beauty of a sunrise.
• I am free to pray in my own way and on my own time.
• I am free to choose my friends and to make friends of my enemies.
• I am free to treat animals as friends rather than a commodity.
• I am free to walk in the woods and commune with nature.
• I am free to wear clothing that demonstrates my character and not that of my government or religion.
• I am free to be a woman; a girlie-girl or a tomboy.
• I am free to wear my hair long or short, blonde or brown or pink or purple, or all the colors of the rainbow.
• I am free to listen to music that rocks or soothes my soul.
• I am free to drive a vehicle or a bicycle.
• I am free to think what I choose, when I choose, where I choose.

Perhaps, if I was an artist, I could create a series of drawings and make a lot of money. I am not though, but I am free to try. And isn't that the greatest thing about freedom? In freedom, we have the capacity to dream or to do, to create or to enjoy.

Sure, there are conditions attached to some of our freedoms but when you think about others around the world who cannot express themselves without fear of retribution, those conditions are insignificant. Participating in the 2012 General Election served to remind me of the freedom I value so much. As I stood in line with people from every walk of life, every race, color, creed, and from every class, I was proud and grateful to live in a country where even on our worst day, we are more blessed than others around the world. My wish today - that each of us take a moment to reflect on our blessings and freedom and to commit to doing our part to ensure that the freedom of the generations to come are protected and preserved. Blessings!

© 2012 Linda Crist, All rights reserved.

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