“The history of freedom is never really written by chance but by choice.” D Eisenhower. Luck is a wonderful concept. Hope is an amazing emotion. And chance, well, you never know. We can make choices in all life areas but there is never any certainty about outcomes. This is true as well for the above. We all can make what we feel are right, good, the best, etc. choices but there is no guarantee that the outcomes will always be as predicted. This country was built over many years by what our predecessors believed were the best choices. NO, this country has never been or ever will be perfect but we are still the best story of civilization ever written in thousands of years, and why? Choice often takes more than just choice. It can require; courage, faith, persistence, sustained action, belief, sweat, sacrifice, and yes even failure but in the end, if you are not willing to experience any or all of these then just cross your fingers and hope the future is better than the present or the past. We are better off today because of the choices of the past and like it or not, we can be tomorrow if we make the choices today – so choose wisely.
“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” N Mandela. No one has the right to tell another how to live or not live as long as they obey the various laws that are the norm for their country, state, city, etc. When others attempt to control the lives of others whether slavery years ago, in dictatorship-driven countries, or even spouses, relatives, friends, or bosses they overstep their roles. The right to fail, make mistakes and do stupid stuff is a human right. Your job is not to train me regarding life. Yes my boss has the right to train me in the necessary skills to do the job I am paid to do. Yes, you can make suggestions, guide me, offer feedback, share opinions, etc. but in the end your words – you need to or you should – drive me crazy. Freedom includes all of the blessings and positives as well as the pitfalls and negatives. Life is about choosing which ones we want to experience and the right to earn either the benefits or losses. Having spoken in over 25 countries during my career I have witnessed a variety of approaches and or philosophies when it comes to freedom and the above quote. Nelson Mandela was a hero in my opinion and suffered greatly because of his beliefs and/or behavior. The real question from my perspective is – how will freedom be defined in the future and even more how do you or others define freedom?
“The caterpillar does all the work, but the butterfly gets all the publicity.” George Carlin. William Bridges in his great book “Transitions” many years ago discussed the concept of the caterpillar going into the cocoon and then emerging later as a butterfly. There are three stages according to his premise; declaring endings, spending time in the neutral zone and then emerging with a new beginning. I won’t try and summarize the book or his findings in this short message but refer to the above quote as another way to describe his basic premise. While in the cocoon or chrysalis the caterpillar must lose its history, form, and past behaviors and learn to emerge with new life approaches that were never possible in its former life. The same is true for each of us. To begin again anew requires letting go, embracing new, and doing the work necessary in each phase that is necessary to permit life to continue in its new form. Some people call this surrender, letting go or even just change but in the end, new beginnings require effort, purpose, action, courage, desire, and patience.