Word of the day

The Oxford English Dictionary defines freedom as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said that freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.

In school, we all learned that rights come with responsibilities. So while we have rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and expression, we are free within limits because we need to act responsibly. We need to know when and how to use our freedom.

We can use our freedom of speech to stand up for a good cause or something we believe in, but we shouldn’t use it to slander someone or something and make false accusations. If you are known for falsifying information, you won’t be trusted to tell the truth.

So yes, you are free to say what you want, but if you don’t use your freedom wisely, then you cannot complain about the consequences. You have independence and the capability to make your own choices. If you want the freedom to do that, you need to be accountable for your mistakes. Author, Charlotte Brontë wrote, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Albert Camus said, “Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.” If we use our freedom wisely, we can make a positive impact on so many things. We can use our rights and our freedoms to grow in a personal and business sense. We have all the opportunities to be better and do better, it is up to us to use them. Herbert Hoover said, “Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.”

The freedom we have now doesn’t always need to be in a political sense. The world is becoming more and more accepting of things and people they didn’t previously understand, so the freedom to be ourselves makes up a huge part of society today.

Adlai Stevenson said that his definition of a free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular. We are allowed to explore who we are and what we want; we have the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. We can explore new opportunities and constantly strive to learn more and do more; there are so many possibilities, we just need to take the first step. Virginia Woolf said, “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”