The following is a quote from George Orwell’s book “1984”.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
This post partly stems from guilt from not writing, while I have the freedom to do so, but also from the desire to share some recent thoughts of mine. I’ve had a recurring rhetorical question running through my mind. Do we as Americans allow ourselves to be slaves to our lives? Obviously there is some extent to which we don’t have much of a choice. We have bills to pay and we have to work. But how much of the stuff that we have acquired that incurs bills that push us into a life of slavery is necessary?
A friend of mine just the other day asked me if I would like to buy a boat. I told him no, and when he persisted I explained that I did not need it and that it would just clutter up my life. He looked dumbfounded initially, and then after a moment said, “Yeah I guess it would be nice not to have to take care of so many things.” Things, this is the plague of the American lifestyle. The more things we have the more busy we must be in order to keep up with the bills, or at least the extra time-cost of taking care of such things.
I think perhaps slavery has many definitions, many of which go unnoticed because they are not traditional means of slavery. How many of us could walk out the door of our jobs in search for a much more simple lifestyle and refuse to return? We cannot do so without repercussions, some of which can be very stressful and life altering, that to me is slavery.
Freedom would be the ability to spend my life as I see fit. I may be one of the lucky ones that can say that at least I chosen my life path. The only concern that I have in the smallest amount is the desire to have more time for the people I love; because it is people and not things that make life worthwhile. It is Love, not Money that make getting up every morning possible. And all the clutter that comes into our lives due to neglecting this principle is most likely very unnecessary.
I say start simple, even if you are buried under mountains of debt, and have tons of bills and your life is stressful, start simple and just take some time to write. Writing will free your mind of burdens which it may hold onto unconsciously writing will share your feelings even if only with a piece of paper. If you don’t know what to write about, then read. Reading will stir up thoughts in your mind that would have otherwise not have been there.
Take the advice from the movie “The Matrix” and “Free your mind!”
-Trix
