What is “Freedom” to you? Do you feel “free”? I have never really felt free. I have felt imprisoned by the environments I have found myself in, many times. I believe that freedom should feel different than what I have experienced so far. I think in order to be truly free, we have to be willing to step outside of all the boxes that we’ve been comfortable in and used to. One of those boxes is “how we see ourselves”, another box is “expectations” (from ourselves and others), another box is “judgement” (from ourselves and others), and the list goes on and on and on. I don’t want to be in a box, or jump through all the hoops that have been placed between them. I have had a life experience that many would not understand, and I would never want them to experience what I have just so they can understand me or my views. I have had these experiences in order to see this world through these lenses so that others don’t need to suffer through the same experiences in order to see. I am meant to share my stories, my perspectives, and my feelings. I spoke my mind out loud about people saying “Happy Memorial Day”, and how I think it’s disrespectful. It’s also disrespectful to move the day around to “observe” it at our convenience for a M-F 9-5 employee to have a long weekend so as to BBQ and drink beer. Yeah, I offended people. My grandfather, who was in the second world war, lost friends in a horrible way right in front of him. This “holiday” should be respected with peace and gratitude for those who dutifully gave their lives to fight another mans created conflict. You would never hear my Gpa say “Happy Memorial Day”. I also spoke my views online, while everyone is excited about their patriotism and the jets flying over today. I’m not sorry about how I feel or how I see this due to my life experience and what I know to be true. I also know that my Gpa would agree with me. There are homeless and hungry Americans that are struggling to survive in this county right now. I do not believe that spending our hard earned tax dollars on wasting resources for our own entertainment while calling it “respect” makes any sense. That is my opinion. So after getting those emotions off my heart, I came outside to enjoy my coffee on the front porch, when then I was swooped in on by a new group of 3 beautiful birds I have never seen here before. They flew all around my head on my porch and landed where they could look me in the eye and check me out. I was mesmerized by their colors of purple, blue, and white, and their eyes so striking as they tilted their head to look at me real good from all angles, almost like they were trying to tell me something. I spent at least an hour after they left searching resources to find out what they were. Now, before my coffee I had cleaned my kitchen up, as I had kinda let it get a bit messy this week. I asked myself out loud, “wtf am I doing with all these eggshells?”. I had no plan, and no idea why I had started collecting them, but here they were. After finally finding out that the beautiful bird was a Tree Swallow, I had to know more. There are some amazing stories and beliefs about this bird in Christianity and indigenous cultures alike. They are connected to Gemini in astrology. Another thing I learned is that aviators, pilots refer to this bird in reference to their ability to swoop and maneuver swiftly and accurately. So while people are raving about the jets flying over the state, I got these amazing birds. I also learned that if they are new in your back yard, they may be looking for your compost pile because they need calcium to develop their babies. So, besides being pest (mosquito) eaters, they need eggshells! Ta Da! So I crushed up the eggshells and put them out with a nesting box for them in my carport where it seemed they were looking for a spot. Today has been a multitude of moments for me as I have experienced, learned, felt, and spoke truth according to my perspective. True freedom means going with your flow, to change and grow. Living life on societies terms, because it’s “always been this way”, is not how we are meant to evolve as a species together. If one of us, as a human, is suffering, then ultimately, we all suffer eventually. I will not walk on eggshells to protect the comfort zones of those that are unwilling to evolve for the sake of all humanity or to appease their illusion of self-righteous entitlement. I will use my voice and express my truths to the world despite opposition, because my Gpa went through hell and back to give me that freedom and I know he’d be disappointed if I didn’t use it. “Use it or lose it” they say, so I’m using mine while I can. Peace, love, and freedom wishes to you today as we take a moment of silence to feel the gratitude in our hearts for all those who lost their lives in a selfless act to save ours. May we uphold the meaning of “Freedom” as we also remember that it’s “For All”.
