Are we living free? Do we really have free will? The dictionary says Free will is the ability to choose where options are available, but a lot of the time our choices are influenced by the environment, present circumstance, social standing, emotions, money, etc.
So even though there are options, are they the options that we want? Or the options that are forced upon us?
Most people are living lives that are not theirs, just to please other people or to conform to society.
For example, one would think that a young man preparing to go to the university will have several options of courses of study to choose from, being that he is starting out in life and has an idea of what he wants, but with his father breathing down his neck to go for a particular course, he is left with no choice than to succumb to his father’s wishes, especially since the father will be paying the bills. So, tell me, was free will exhibited there?
For all you know, the boy doesn’t want to go to the university, he may have other passions and plans, but his choice was influenced by his father.
Or is it Helen who is being pressured by her parents to marry? She really hasn’t met the man of her dreams, but because of the pressure, she decides on the man available.
So, what is free will, if not an illusion!
Now, living freely on the other hand is like a sibling to free will, it is the ability to live without any form of control or fear of judgement.
That is something that is rare or even nonexistent in this part of the world.
How do you live freely when even as a child, parents are projecting their fears, and passing down old and archaic cultures, telling the child what she/he can and cannot do, building a wall of limitation around the child based on what they couldn’t achieve?!
Oftentimes, you hear people say: “I would have loved to do this or I would have loved to say this, but my religion does not allow” or: “We don’t do that in our family” or: “I’m too old for that.”
Isn’t it sad that we cannot come to the fullness of ourselves because we are limited by the cages and walls we built around ourselves?
Yet, most people are not living happy lives…is that not a disservice to God, Who has freely given this life and all that is in it to us?
With no promise of a second life, it is amazing to see people shortchange themselves on their one short at life!
Think about it.
#tiwa_says.