Good Friday is Freedom Friday

From the Dashboard >

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So many people believe they are chasing freedom. Of all his deceptions and deceits, his efforts to convince selfish human beings of as much is perhaps Satan’s most cunning.

So many of us work hard, make money, achieve status, all while telling ourselves we are building a life on our own terms. We travel where we want, buy what we want, and date whoever we want. But beneath the surface, we are trapped and don’t even recognize it.

We always think more money will finally make us feel free. But the more we earn, the more we feel we need: a bigger cushion, a bigger house, a newer car. The bar keeps moving, and if we would just take the time to notice, we’d realize we are always chasing.

So many of us tell ourselves we are just “being responsible,” but in reality, we are slaves to “what if.” What if the market crashes? What if we get laid off? What if we get sick?

And we don’t even realize that despite all we do to avoid those things – all the dieting, all the working out, all the reading every article that’s ever been written on preventative health – we can never outrun genetics and the laws of nature. The fear is always there, humming in the background: is that lump normal? Is that pain something more? We are anxious, not free.

In relationships, we say we need space to be ourselves; to be free. We don’t want to be “tied down,” interpreting commitment as the end of fun, the end of freedom. So, we walk away from people who love us, chasing the idea of a life with no strings. But love isn’t a chain; it’s a root without which we helplessly drift. We want to leave a mark on this world. But how do we leave a legacy when we’ve built nothing that lasts?

Still, this is the only life we’ve known. It’s the life we’ve built. We partied hard in our youth, perhaps. Loving the scene, the music, the energy. But somewhere along the way, the club stopped being exciting and started feeling sad. We look around and realize we are trying to be young in a room that is getting younger. And now we aren’t dancing anymore – we are clinging. We don’t want to grow old. We don’t want to look old. But in trying to stay forever young, we are losing the peace and wisdom that come with aging gracefully.

We aren’t free. We are afraid. That’s not all.