Abusing freedom.
We live in the land of the free. and yet i look around and see people who dont seem to have an ounce of freedom in them. i look at people who i love and i can tell that they have never felt free before. have you ever just looked at someone and thought that they were trapped? that everything they say has been filtered? that somewhere between their thoughts and their mouth theres disconnect. that they cant say what they really want to say. or feel what they want to feel? Witnessing this makes my heart hurt. Because freedom is the best thing that God gives us.
I think about all the times i feel free in this world. Sitting on the beach in the middle of december. Listening to the waves drown out the rest of the world. Driving through the mountains with great music that speaks to my soul. Crying because the love of Christ has the power to break down any wall ive ever put up. I think about these times of freedom. And i want so badly for the rest of the world to feel free. if i could just write something that would change their hearts. if i could just paint something that would open their eyes. If i could just sing something that means something. anything. But the thing about freedom is you have to experience it for yourself. because im pretty sure it means something different for everyone.
i think when i first thought about freedom, i thought about the worldly freedom. The stuff that the world grants us. the freedom to speak. to own guns. to buy whatever we want. to say things that we want. But that freedom has limits. and price tags. and consequences. and really when you think about, that freedom isnt freedom at all. That freedom is a lie. Because once you buy into it, it owns you. And it takes your thoughts and your words and your guns and your money. and your love and your actions. Until they arent yours anymore. And thats when freedom is abused. That freedom is what captures people. and keeps them trapped. and filters their words.
So really, i think the world knows alot about freedom. But i dont think they know real freedom. They think that they know what it is. But really they have no idea. They know a watered down version of it.
But real freedom. The one im talking about. the one that is felt in the soul. the one that fills up all the gaps. That freedom is limitless. That freedom is one worth experiencing. And there are only a few places in the world where ive been able to find that freedom. The ocean is one place. and maybe in the winding roads of the blue ridge mountains. and in the stars. but one place that freedom never leaves is my heart. i wish i could express that better. or just give it to someone.
sometimes i wish i could just take the world to the ocean for a minute. in the middle of winter. with the wind sending cold air through their skin. and the sound of the waves keeping pace with their hearts. the feeling of freedom. i wish for a moment they could just look to the horizon and see that limitless freedom that im writing about. and for them to know that it is theirs for the taking. that it wants nothing in return. That somewhere beyond the gun control and dollar bills and phony speeches there is truth. Beyond the blue ocean and millions of stars there is God.
And that we are free to love once and for all.
