Freedom

Excerpts taken from Matthew Kelly's book,

"Rhythm of Life" ~ chapter: "Are you Free?"

History has taught us that the one thing men and women of every place and time have always been willing to fight for, and indeed die for, is freedom. Freedom is the cornerstone of all great nations. Freedom is the pinnacle of spirituality. And freedom is the most basic and essential human right. However, freedom is not simply the circumstances that allow you to do whatever you want. Freedom is not only the opportunity to choose. Freedom is the strength of character to choose and to do what is right.

The free man or woman is quietly confident and peaceful. Aware of both his strengths and weaknesses, he seeks self-analysis to improve himself. She is a woman of integrity, and her word is better than a signed contract. His mind is constantly filled with gratitude, appreciation, and all manner of positive thoughts. She is a leader who is prepared to take the initiative. He is a man of character, self-control, and firm will. She lives by bringing happiness to other people's lives. Often times, he has been an addict of one thing or another - perhaps many addictions have plagued his life - but he has overcome them and now guards carefully against new addictions.

Mahatma Gandi once wrote, "Man cannot do right in one department of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in another department. Life is one indivisible whole." We all have areas of our lives where we are not masters of ourselves. A valuable exercise to make a regular part of our prayer, reflection, and self-analysis is to seek out and identify areas of addiction or slavery in our lives. Nothing compares to the freedom of being able to choose the-best-version-of-yourself in the moments of the day. It is a liberation that nobody can ever take from you. It is the freedom to choose what is good, true, noble, beautiful, and right.

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Inspirational quotes of the day by Wilma Rudolph

(the first American woman runner to win three gold medals at a single Olympics, after breaking free from a childhood battle with polio):

• "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother."
• "I love the freedom in running, the fresh air, the feeling that the only person I'm competing with is me."
• "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives in each of us."
• "The most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself. The triumph can't be had without the struggle."