A few words about freedom

As I watched television news Sunday afternoon, networks carried footage of the current President Bush and his wife leaving church, as well as the former President Bush and his wife. What occurred to me as I watched was that the former president was not wearing a coat and tie, but some crew neck knit shirt. At least that’s what it looked like to me a few hundred miles away.

Why? Why didn’t the former president wear a tie like the president? The answer which seems so right to me is that he didn’t have to. As a former president, he does not carry the expectations of the current one. Remember it was the same Bush who declared when he was in office that he wasn’t going to eat any more broccoli. Why? I would imagine the answer is the same: he didn’t have to eat broccoli or even have any of the stuff in the White House or on Air Force One.
We all love it when people exhibit freedom, but too few of us really act it out. Too many of us are bound by a host of retentives. We worry about what someone would think if we wore this or that or said this or that. We give too much a darn about the Joneses. We are too uptight.

And yet, we admire people who are free. One of the freest people ever to walk the planet was Jesus Christ. He was even free to cuss, but just didn’t want to and since he didn’t want to, he didn’t. Get the point? Freedom is the strength and joy to do exactly what you want to do.

And yet, freedom has to be well taught. My freedom ends where your freedom begins. And because of that, I not only do not have the right to yell “fire” in a crowded theatre, but I don’t want to do such a dastardly thing. My freedom has been taught.

Freedom ain’t free either. Just ask any soldier with a Purple Heart. Genuine Purple Heart recipients will confess that their freedom to earn such an award was not demanded but invited. Freedom gives and is never enslaved.

Are you free?