The Cost of Freedom

“It was clear that the mutiny’s destructive ferocity had turned on itself. Freedom had been won, at the cost of everything.” — Deadhouse Gates: Book Two of The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

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It was a wise person who cautioned, “Beware of what you ask for.”

As you peer into this New Year be careful what you seek.

For example freedom…that latent desire that lies within us when we enter this world and is in full bloom by age two.

One of the great ironies about freedom is that the more you have of it the greater the risk of losing what you really want.

Going for financial freedom this year? Great idea! But beware of losing your greatest treasures.

Want to eat ice cream every day? After you’ve eaten your favorite burger and fries?

Want to sleep with who you want to, watch what you want to, buy what you want to,

Want your independence? The freedom to do what you want to do, go where you want to go, be what you want to be?

Fine. There will be scores of people – wise sounding people who appear to really care about you – who will cheer you own and tell you to go for it.

But understand that that freedom will come with a cost.

The ONE THING for today: One of the great ironies of life is that the people who do the most good, reach the rarified heights of transcendent purpose and meaning, and experience the most enduring and fulfilling relationships are the people who willingly give up the most freedoms.

Photo by Veronica Dudarev on Unsplash