Today I Celebrate Freedom.
Celebrating Freedom.
That is what today is all about.
Freedom from censorship. Freedom to worship the God we choose.
Freedom to make mistakes. For better or worse.
But it’s hard to live in freedom if we remain captive to fear.
Liberty from worries of rejection, security, loss.
I’d give it to myself, my children, heck I’d give it to everyone.
I’d infuse the blonde boy in white trunks with a thin blue plaid. He circled a group of children at the pool but turned away before jumping in their midst.
What stopped him from plopping in the middle of them and saying “hi?”
For so long, worries stopped me from taking a less certain path. So many trails to adventure I desperately wanted to explore but never traveled after choosing to remain in the shelter of the known.
My son has loved to fish since he could stand on two legs and hold a pole.
As a young man, he paddles off into the water often disappearing from view down the beach.
Makes me crazy.
Not so much on a calm night as this.
But without warning, life turns turbulent, churning, out-of-control.
I let him go.
Only demanding he wear a life-vest.
Letting going of my biggest fear giving my children freedom to plow through their own.
Not easy.
But breaking free never is.
What is your greatest fear?
Naming it is the first step to independence.
I love this take on independence. You wove it perfectly, and indeed – naming it comes first.
Thanks Galit. I’ve learned that worries never go away, but I never want them to stop me — and my children from doing anything. It does get easier, the more you let go.
Such simple straightforward wisdom. It made me feel pleased and challenged.
Know thyself. Think and then act on it.
It is a daily battle easier faced knowing that others are out there fighting it too.
Thanks for sharing.
It is a daily battle Aaron. Not so much for myself these days — but my worries for my children. But the more I release the easier it is the next time.
I would freak out to see my kid that far out in the Ocean. Of course my kids are toddlers, but still…I am not looking forward to the day when I have to start letting go and trusting that they’ll keep themselves safe.
Thank you for sharing.
I have lived with so many fears in my life and I have worked to break through them. My biggest fear is going “back”. I want to keep growing and changing.
I love the image of your child at sea.
Cathy
Oh wow, I got chills seeing your child out there! We have a 5-year-old and we are learning to “let go” more (trying). She starts kindergarten in the fall and I already have heart palpitations. Thank you for sharing your story.
I love your point about naming the fear being the first step. I think we have a tendency to think there is some level of “safe” you can achieve where nothing can go wrong so there’s no need to worry or be afraid any more but really something can always go wrong. That’s just how life goes. One of the hardest things is identifying a level risk you feel comfortable with and then trying your best to let go of fear because worry is a pretty crappy prophylactic.
Letting go is so, so, SO tough. Especially when children are involved.
I think it is a process, for sure.
I loved your post.