“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela

What does freedom mean? 

1. The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.
2. the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

These are the dictionary meanings of the word ‘freedom’.

I am a citizen of a country that was under foreign rule. My ancestors and innumerable countrymen had to fight the toughest battles of their lives in order to attain freedom. Many did not live to see the glorious day when the foriegn occupants finally left the shores of our motherland.

I, like many, was born in an independent and free country. I have not grown up seeing the freedom struggle. I have thrived in a nation that offered opportunities and freedom of thought and speech. 

What this complete freedom did for me is to shape me into who I am today. The person I am, my values, ethics, morals, etc. 

I shudder to think what would happen to me if this complete freedom or even a part of it was taken away from me even for a short while!

Can you imagine if that happened to you? If your freedom was snatched away from you or you were stopped from functioning as a free being; what would that do to you?

Comment below and tell me what you would feel if it happened to you.

I’m sure a lot of you are feeling strangulated at the very thought of living as a person not worthy of freedom. I definitely did feel terribly stifled and bound when I thought about it.

Then my next question is, if our freedom is so dear to us and so critical a part of our being, then why is it so easy for us to trample upon the freedom of someone else?

Why?

Need examples of when we overstep onto someone else’s freedom? Here are a few, you can ofcourse look within and around you and see many more.

1. When we look upon someone as wrong or not amongst us and make them feel uncomfortable. We’ve told them they are different from us and hence not welcome to be near us.
2. When a child or anyone younger questions something we do, we don’t like that. We may refuse to answer, telling them that they have to take it the way it is, their question is not welcome.
3. When companies sell us products that do not display the complete list of ingredients or then sell it under the garb of a ‘healthy’ product – they take away our freedom to choose, they’re literally forcing things on us.
4. When a child is painting a skyline and paints the sky yellow or green or pink – we correct him/her to paint it blue – didn’t we just curb the creativity of the child?
5. When we are not offered a choice, to take a pick – is that not a breach of  freedom? 

There are so many more instances when we ignore someone’s sense of freedom and trample it with our own version of freedom. 

How do we ensure our freedom and that of everyone around us?

Let us first understand that freedom is a fundamental right and that it is dear to everybody. If we cannot allow anyone to ignore our freedom, we must be conscious enough and aware enough to know where someone else’s freedom begins. It may be a part of setting and respecting boundaries. 

Acknowledgement, Recognition, Respect, Compassion, Equality ++ will be some virtues and values that we will all need to ensure our own freedom and that of everyone around us.