I think finding freedom inside yourself is crucial! For how can you help others with freedom if you don't even know what it is?

I did have a lil difficulty with this part.

Releasing ourselves from the burden that we carry, is freedom. Letting go of all the worries that come to us on a daily basis, is freedom. Allowing our inner self to be happy, is freedom.

I suppose that is freedom, but.. I think the burdens and worries are important parts of life, and sometimes happiness isn't necessarily the highest goal but to live honorably in a way in which doesn't harm others unjustly.

So.. This could be semantics, but.. I think it would be more freeing to live morally even if that includes burden and worry, to be totally carefree to the point where you don't consider how your actions may negatively affect others is a whole different kind of prison I think. It may seem free, but I think if one truly understands freedom they would not want to harm others in ways in which they would not want to be harmed, IE the golden rule essentially. And I have a feeling you would probably agree with that, but the way you worded it made me feel like I should try to add a lil extra detail and clarity in regards to the words used.

Freedom is essentially the ability for you to do as you please, but I think true freedom comes with responsibility.. The responsibility to try to not harm others with your freedom. IE don't drink and drive even if you have the freedom and it would make you less worried and burdened to cause you might hurt someone.

Another good example and one you may not resonate with as most people are not vegans.. But.. I am a vegan and I have the freedom to have animals killed for me or kill them myself so I can eat their body and gain taste pleasure from it, but I don't do that anymore cause I realized I wouldn't want that done to me if I was in their position.. And that I would want mercy and love, so I should give it to them.
So.. While freedom technically means you could be light and not care about how much you hurt others, just as long as you're happy.. But to me, I think true happiness comes from not harming others unjustly. And.. The word "free" according to a lot of etymology means "to love" so.. To me, I would think one's freedom should attempt to reflect that and to show love in their expression and choices in life, even if it isn't always the the most pleasurable or "lightest" of courses.

Furthermore I dug into the word "care" a bit and it tends to imply being made "heavy".. So.. While I do think caring about others creates a prison, so does not caring about them. They each create their own kinds of prisons, though I'd personally prefer to try to travel that path that harms others less with my freedom.

Thanks for the super thoughtful and thought provoking entry! And sorry for such a long response, but.. Your article hit me on a pretty deep level! And I feel like.. Even though I try to spread freedom so much I myself am trapped in a bunch of my own mental prisons pretty bad and I need to work on that.. So thanks for the reminder!