|
|
Freedom can mean a lot of things. The word beings up thoughts of African-American slaves and their lack of freedom during the Civil War, the soldiers overseas fighting for it in the Middle East, and things like that. I consider those things good examples of freedom, and I appreciate the brave men and women serving our country, but I think there's more to it than that. To me, freedom is giving someone the opportunity to live their life they way they want to. So, yes, that can relate to freeing slaves from plantation owners or helping people all over the world, but we all can apply freedom to our own lives.
Have you ever been so caught up in a moment that you didn't care what others thought of you? To me, that's what freedom feels like. However, peer pressure is a very common thing middle school kids face these days. We get pressured to dress the right way, look the right way, and act the right way. Sometimes it even feels like you're being controlled by your friends because they want to make sure you are "perfect". The people who maintain a life that is lived the way they want to are examples of freedom. Freedom is not caring about what others think about you. Freedom is being able to be truly happy with yourself because you can accept yourself for who you are.
I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't get enough freedom because of others in my life telling me what I should do. I'm not completely innocent, though - I have pressured people to do stuff they don't necessarily want to as well. We all need to give - and get - more freedom in our lives. Start using freedom as soon and as often as you can. Say "no" when you are pressured to do something you don't want to do, even if it means standing up to your friends. Every time you use your freedom, you will feel better about yourself.
Freedom is a gift. It's also something every person has inside of them. If we work hard enough at using this freedom and giving freedom to others, I think we can make a difference, not just to others, but also to ourselves.
|
