Freedom Spell

Is not the butterfly trapped by its own colorful wings? Is it not caged by its need to flutter about from one flower to the next collecting the necessary nectar to sustain its brief flight though life? Even the majestic soaring eagle our country uses as the ultimate symbol of freedom, is shackled to its need to spiral in the rising currents of warm air, forever in search of its next meal. Is it not a slave to those crying chicks waiting back at the nest, as well as to its own appetite? Can any living creature be free? Can we ever truly be free? We are obsessed with the notion of freedom. We use it to sell everything from cars to music, jewelry, clothing, appliances, beer, vacations, food, etc... They say just do this, do that, buy this, buy that, and you will be closer than ever before to being free. Take a moment to listen to the songs that play in the background of commercials, freedom/free is often in the lyrics. Yet, no one ever bothers to ask if it is even possible to be free, or if there is even such a thing. Maybe, we would really rather not know. For, our eternal gravitation towards our individualized conceptions of what it means for us to be free, is often what guides us through life. It acts like a compass that we so often rely upon to lead us towards a "better" future. So, it is little wonder that so few are willing to give that illusion up. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Who is willing to give up such a pretty picture, no matter how fanciful or unrealistic it may be. As long as we need something, as long as we feel a sense of yearning, we are not free. And as long as we are struggling to reach tomorrows bounty, no matter how grandiose or minuscule it may turn out to be, we will never be free. For, as long as we need that next heart beat, or that next breath of air, we will never be free.