Everyday Canvas

Practice of Freedom

Prompt:
"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it." –William Faulkner
or
"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it." –Unknown
Let one of these quotes inspire your writing today.

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I always liked Faulkner's work, so his quote seems to be the right choice for me. I think Faulkner means, in a nutshell, freedom is dynamic and it requires constant practice and nurturing. It doesn't matter how many times we say we are free. The point is to live in a manner that reflects and sustains that freedom. Practicing freedom means engaging in actions that promote and protect the rights and liberties of oneself and others.

Yet, how do we do that? In many parts of our globe, people are still fighting for basic human rights. One may think there is no way we can help, but what about awareness of those issues and responding to them the best we can? Throughout history, as in the American Civil Rights Movement and the fight for Women's Suffrage, we did help, didn't we!

Although most world problems of the moment are further away than those, how about respecting and working with and honoring the trade bans, boycotts, and embargos against those countries that crush human freedoms. For example, when the USA boycotts a country's cheaper products due to its disrespect of human rights, why do some of us buy those very goods from Canada and other places?

True freedom is not merely a statement of declaration. It is an active ongoing process that requires effort and continuous commitment by all of us.