What Freedom Means to Me

This is in response to the Freedom challenge initiated by @sagescrub. I had fun making one and actually, the challenge made me think, realize and appreciate the freedom that I have.

What freedom means to...

...the one-year-old me:

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Freedom means being finally able to walk. I am no longer being constantly carried or wheeled. I cry out so loud to show my defiance when Mommy or Daddy or the nanny carry me. I am trying out my newly found skill of using my legs you know. I am just amazed at how these two columnar structures in my body could do. They could move me! And take me to places! Simply exhilarating! Wiii!

....the seven-year-old me:

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Freedom means when school is done and I am able to play all I want. Freedom is when the teacher does not keep on telling me what to do. Sit. No talking. Listen. No running. Read this. Memorize this. Copy this. Copy that. Sing. Dance. Play. Endless things to do.

But then, sometimes it is also fun to do what teacher says. Especially when the teacher says we go to the computer room because that means we get to play games on the computer.

Freedom also means I get to play my guitar and hear myself make "music", though Momma interprets it as noise. Music or whatever, I am happy playing MY music and being free.

...the twelve-year-old me:

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Freedom means having my own mobile phone. I am able to talk to my friends -- endlessly. Uhm, not really. It depends on the mobile load my parents give me. Also, freedom means having my own social media account. Well, of course, I made some adjustments on my age. Although my parents keep a constant eye on my account, I still feel free since I can post all I want and give a thumbs-up to all I want. I am learning, and I know being a learned man means being free.

... the sixteen-year-old me:

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Freedom means being able to learn from my mistakes. I admit I have made some bad decisions in my life, but I believe that through those mistakes I am able to test my strengths and weaknesses. This presumably added some character to my personality, lead me to a morality that I know. You see, I am free because I can do things out of my own will, trusting myself because I chose to listen to my parents, and nobody forced me to do something that I do not want. With the guidance of my parents, I am free.

...the eighteen-year-old me:

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Freedom means being able to eat out with friends and hang out with them every so often. Now, that I am more of an adult, freedom not only means being able to watch my favorite movie or TV show but also being able to read my favorite book and have time for myself. I am just so amazed at all the new learnings I gain every time I study this particular amazing book. They call it the Holy Scriptures, others simply say the Bible.

Freedom means having hope and faith -- that kind that makes you secure about the future, no matter how blurry things may seem to be. With the knowledge I gain from studying the Bible, I am freed from the bad influences and the false teachings.

Photo is mine.

...the mother/wife that I am:

Freedom means a sense of commitment to every deed that I do. However mundane it may be, say, playing with my little one, or studying the Bible with an interested friend, or cooking a dish for my family, or posting a content here at Steemit. I know that when I put my heart and mind into doing it, I feel free because I know the result is what I truly deserve. I am free from the what-ifs and the regrets.

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In the end, I believe that freedom means showing the world who we truly are, without pretentions.

Unmasked.

The true self we show to the world is that character or personality molded by the upbringing of our parents or guardians, the lessons learned inside the classroom and beyond the four corners of the wall, the beliefs and teachings learned that lead us to walk to a straight spiritual path making us a human being.

I realized then that freedom is a relative term. Our view of freedom also changes as we mature. It is very interesting to think through about the freedom we have. Thanks to this freedom challenge.

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