I know two people who believe they are free. In fact, when I hear them talk about each other sometimes, they are convinced the other is trapped behind walls of their own making. So which one is right?
True, one is actually confined within a set of walls for most of this year, while the other is “free” to roam about town, more or less at will. What makes one confined embrace a freedom better than the other “on the outs?”
The difference is a mindset. The one confined is learning to free the mind from all the self-serving, petty things, and addictions that created the confinement. By letting go of trying to control situations and other people, there is an ironic sense of being free and more in self-control.
The other person with the physical freedom still chooses to confine the mind in selfish, destructive behavior driven by a need to control. The free body is trapped by a mind chasing the wind.
Do you help free the minds of those you know by helping them focus on serving others in a caring way? Do you invite them to partner with you to explore interesting things and solve important problems together?
If a person can live free while confined, how much better can you live free in an open world?
Life is a team sport. Do you and your team feel free?