#19 Freedom is Not Free
When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing under the sun that he will not do to acquire that freedom. Whenever you hear a man saying he wants freedom, but in the next breath he is going to tell you what he won't do to get it, or what he doesn't believe in doing in order to get it, he doesn't believe in freedom. A man who believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire . . . or preserve his freedom-----Malcolm X
I believe that there are only two types of people: slaves and freemen. Which you are depends totally and completely on what you do and how you conduct your life. It has nothing to do with what you say you are or portray yourself to be. It has nothing to do with the money in your pocket and the material goods you may or may not have. It cannot be bought, sold, traded or taught and can only be aquired through struggle. Freedom is a choice that has to be made and acted upon consistantly. Enslavement must be accepted to exist in one's life. Slavery and freedom aren't mutually exclusive and can be measured in degrees but one is always dominant. You can be free in one aspect of your life and a slave in another. However, a freeman that recognizes areas of enslavement in his life does what's needed to become free. Both slavery and freedom come with a price. If we chose freedom it has to be cultivated, nurtured and expanded--life must be lived. Choosing enslavement costs the opportunity for anything you may want in life. Slaves don't make decisions and take actions, they are put into situations and forced to react.
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Every morning we wake up and greet life we have to choose whether or not to be enslaved or free. This may sound esoteric but it isn't. It is the truth regardless of our experiences, our race, our religion, creed, self-image or anything else that makes us an individual. The decision to be enslaved or free is one that we make everyday. It guides everything else that we do and shapes our lives. The choice may be conscious or unconscious but it gets made and that decision becomes the foundation of our lives. It dictates what we will do, how we will react and the level of our relationships with other people, ourselves and whatever we percieve to be the power greater than ourselves.
The acceptance of enslavement gives us a life framed by dependance. Freedom is independance. Enslavement is making excuses and freedom is taking responsability. Freedom is doing what needs to be done even when it's difficult. Enslavement is looking at how other people messed up your life and wallowing in how hard "they" have made it for you. Freedom is forgetting about all the "they's", looking at self and figuring out what needs to happen to move forward.
To truly be free is to actively examine life and change as necessary. The change is the hardest thing to do. We have all been slaves to something in our lives and slavemasters don't give up their property without a fight. The wild shit is that the fight is within us and all we have to do is act on the decision to be free and we will be free. It's that simple. However, simplicity and ease are two different things. Follow through can be a bitch. When one does follow through, the floodgates open. The more you look at life and take control of it, the more you see in need of control. It's at this point you find out what you're made of. A truly free man gets it done, especially when it's uncomfortable. And when more pops up to do, he just does what's necessary. Free people aren't perfect by any means. Free people struggle with their freedom because it's not an easy thing. It takes attention and diligence and determination. More than anything it takes honesty and most people don't like being honest. It's easier to blame, whine, cry, bitch & moan than to straighten your backbone and do--regardless of the limitations or the hardships. Freemen learn life's greatest lesson daily--this existance is a gift to be appreciated and used because it isn't promised and it's going to end.
Slaves only see the hardships. Slaves see their chains and cling to them even though they hate them. The chains of excuses, blaming, backbiting, infighting, selfishness, following others, irresponsibility, dreaming and never acting, thinking and never doing, dependancy and anything that anyone attributes to their "CAN'T", keep slaves enslaved. Slaves lean on excuses and point fingers but they never--NEVER, look inward and stand up for self. That takes more than they are willing to give. That takes responsibility.
No one is perfect and as I said before slavery and freedom aren't mutually exclusive, but one is always dominant. When we look at our lives we know that there are different facets and degrees. As dynamic beings we change. We must steer that change and pay the price to be as free as we can be every day of our lives.
I believe that there are only two types of people: slaves and freemen. Which you are depends totally and completely on what you do and how you conduct your life. It has nothing to do with what you say you are or portray yourself to be. It has nothing to do with the money in your pocket and the material goods you may or may not have. It cannot be bought, sold, traded or taught and can only be aquired through struggle. Freedom is a choice that has to be made and acted upon consistantly. Enslavement must be accepted to exist in one's life. Slavery and freedom aren't mutually exclusive and can be measured in degrees but one is always dominant. You can be free in one aspect of your life and a slave in another. However, a freeman that recognizes areas of enslavement in his life does what's needed to become free. Both slavery and freedom come with a price. If we chose freedom it has to be cultivated, nurtured and expanded--life must be lived. Choosing enslavement costs the opportunity for anything you may want in life. Slaves don't make decisions and take actions, they are put into situations and forced to react.
Every morning we wake up and greet life we have to choose whether or not to be enslaved or free. This may sound esoteric but it isn't. It is the truth regardless of our experiences, our race, our religion, creed, self-image or anything else that makes us an individual. The decision to be enslaved or free is one that we make everyday. It guides everything else that we do and shapes our lives. The choice may be conscious or unconscious but it gets made and that decision becomes the foundation of our lives. It dictates what we will do, how we will react and the level of our relationships with other people, ourselves and whatever we percieve to be the power greater than ourselves.
The acceptance of enslavement gives us a life framed by dependance. Freedom is independance. Enslavement is making excuses and freedom is taking responsability. Freedom is doing what needs to be done even when it's difficult. Enslavement is looking at how other people messed up your life and wallowing in how hard "they" have made it for you. Freedom is forgetting about all the "they's", looking at self and figuring out what needs to happen to move forward.
To truly be free is to actively examine life and change as necessary. The change is the hardest thing to do. We have all been slaves to something in our lives and slavemasters don't give up their property without a fight. The wild shit is that the fight is within us and all we have to do is act on the decision to be free and we will be free. It's that simple. However, simplicity and ease are two different things. Follow through can be a bitch. When one does follow through, the floodgates open. The more you look at life and take control of it, the more you see in need of control. It's at this point you find out what you're made of. A truly free man gets it done, especially when it's uncomfortable. And when more pops up to do, he just does what's necessary. Free people aren't perfect by any means. Free people struggle with their freedom because it's not an easy thing. It takes attention and diligence and determination. More than anything it takes honesty and most people don't like being honest. It's easier to blame, whine, cry, bitch & moan than to straighten your backbone and do--regardless of the limitations or the hardships. Freemen learn life's greatest lesson daily--this existance is a gift to be appreciated and used because it isn't promised and it's going to end.
Slaves only see the hardships. Slaves see their chains and cling to them even though they hate them. The chains of excuses, blaming, backbiting, infighting, selfishness, following others, irresponsibility, dreaming and never acting, thinking and never doing, dependancy and anything that anyone attributes to their "CAN'T", keep slaves enslaved. Slaves lean on excuses and point fingers but they never--NEVER, look inward and stand up for self. That takes more than they are willing to give. That takes responsibility.
No one is perfect and as I said before slavery and freedom aren't mutually exclusive, but one is always dominant. When we look at our lives we know that there are different facets and degrees. As dynamic beings we change. We must steer that change and pay the price to be as free as we can be every day of our lives.
posted by J.Bailey | 1:32 PM
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