On Thursday the 14th of August, Carolyn shared with us her presentation entitled “ Freedom”

She opened by singing one of her favorite songs that reminds her of freedom. “ Country Roads “ by John Denver.

So when it comes to freedom, what does it mean to you?  Freedom has different meanings for different people.  Freedom doesn’t just mean independence.  It can mean being free of control from others who are trying to control our lives. 

We want to be able to move freely and not feel like we are in someone else’s clutch all the time.  Carolyn shared that this is exactly where she is right now, feeling like she is in someone else’s grip.  She said it’s been going on for a long time. And it has felt like self-imprisonment to her since she hasn’t done anything about it.  

But she feels more determined than ever before to get released from this hold on her.  How about you?  Do you have something that is holding you in a tight grip?  So what exactly is it that has a grip on you?  And what exactly is freedom to you?  Can you define it?  

Remember you have the freedom of your mind.  Do you feel any constraints?  Physical, mental or emotional?  Feeling free and being free can be two different things. 

Are you free if you feel obliged to help someone?   There is such a thing as time freedom.  Time freedom is the ability to choose what you want to do with your time. It’s doing what you love doing most. Now! Not later!  You need to focus more on your well being and happiness. Maybe do something crazy that you always wanted to do. 

So, is total freedom good for you?  Not if you lose your self respect. We all need a certain level of control and responsibility. We have the freedom to acquire knowledge, or to get a job. 

We can use the lack of freedom that many of us feel as motivation to push us further.  Freedom isn’t always happiness, but your actions, the creating, and helping others in rough spots so they can improve their lives. This can be very satisfying to most . 

Freedom is something most people take pride in. Is anyone completely free? 

Can true freedom exist without limits or rules?  Real freedom is when you can decide for yourself to do what you think is right. The greatest freedom you can positively choose, is to say no and mean it.  But we can’t always get what we want in life. And we can’t always get what we need either. But sometimes we do and it works out okay. 

So, the bottom line is think before you act. Be thankful for the freedoms you do have and for the gift of choices you get to set your mind to.