Finding Freedom

As the end of the academic year approaches, with exams and thoughts about the next year beginning to emerge, perhaps it’s time for us to reflect on our journey and where we are heading. By taking the time to evaluate our current path, identify what brings us down, and determine what resonates with us, we can connect with our values and summon the courage to make the necessary changes to keep us on track. This might mean acknowledging that a music career is not for us, realising that our current teacher is not the right fit, recognising that we are pursuing what others perceive as success rather than what we truly love doing, or simply acknowledging that we are where we wish to be and being able to celebrate and be thankful for it.

Tonight is Passover night. Many Jewish people will sit with their families, reading the story of the Exodus and enjoying a meal together. Passover symbolises the transition of the people of Israel from slavery to freedom. Like any other transition, this was not done overnight and it is symbolised by forty years of crossing the desert, which allowed for a generational change. Thousands of years ago, humans already understood the importance of mindset over reality. Being a slave has more to do with our perspective on life than the physical manifestation of it. While a slave accepts their situation as an unavoidable condition, a free person will always seek a path to freedom. Even in cases such as being locked away for years, figures such as Viktor Frankel and Nelson Mandela have taught us the power of the mind and our human capacity to experience freedom even when our bodies are in chains.

It is so easy for us to get caught up in the wishes of our parents, teachers, colleagues, and friends. We accept certain ideas as truths without ever challenging them, leaving us at times feeling unfulfilled or lacking in energy. Of course, we should learn from our predecessors and colleagues who achieved what we aim for, but let’s remember to first look inside and make sure that these are also our true wishes, values, and goals. We are fortunate that being free today in the Western world entails the simple act of following our true selves, opening and challenging our minds to new ideas, acknowledging our past mistakes, and enjoying the unmatched freedom that comes from simply acknowledging to ourselves and others when we are wrong.