Freedom
One of the reasons I like the song “I Love Myself the Way I Am” is that it reminds me that I don’t often do it. I just finished a five mile walk . I walked at 15 minutes per mile. It is a hundred degrees outside. We are at 4000 feet altitude. During the walk I would occasionally pass a bike rider and I would speed up my walk lest they think I wasn’t walking fast enough! Yes, I just described a walk which ninety nine per cent of my neighbors were not doing and I was concerned about what someone else might think of me if I was walking too slow. I spend way too much time thinking about what others might think. And I am not free!
There is a wonderful Michael Byers song that goes this way: Today is just like any day, but it’s not any day. Today’s the day I finally found the courage to give myself a lift. And everything’s much clearer since I gave myself this gift. I set myself free, I set myself free, free to be the best me I can be, I set myself free, I set myself free, since I stepped out of my way, there’s no stopping me. As I go forward one thing is clear the only thing that matters is right here. And all the stumbling blocks that held me back came tumbling down. I’m lighter than I’ve ever been and two feet off the ground. Growing taller branching out like the tallest tree, I set myself free
Watch me grow, watch me grow, I learned so much the moment I let go. Watch me grow, watch me grow, truth is all I ever want to know! And all at once my eyes got back their spark. I’d have no trouble glowing in the dark. I’m diving into life from an exhilarating height and refusing to be held back by a little thing called fright. I’m filling up with love and let it overflow, watch me grow!
Just breathing in and breathing out got me on track. I found myself along the way and it’s good to have me back. And I will conquer any obstacle some how and the most important time is happening now! And giving up the fight was an incredible release and for the first time in my life I feel a total inner peace. Moving forward, getting better, taking chances and loving more. Getting closer every moment to the person that is me. I set myself free! Yes I am free!
On this day in the United States when we celebrate freedom, it is good to look at freedom from another perspective. None of us are free to the degree that we keep ourselves imprisoned by our own thoughts and words and actions. As you can see I am not free of my own mind that somehow compares myself to others and what they might think. So today I declare a world holiday for freedom for all of us. Not just one nation under God but all nations in God. We are truly one and if we are ever to be free we begin by accepting and loving ourselves and then others as ourselves. No boundaries, no borders, just one planetary race of people celebrating freedom for all! From my heart to yours, Thomas. May the fourth be with you!