En Libertad

When I was a child, I sulk whenever I do not get what I want. And I guess it is still pretty evident today, but not as bad as before. A child does not know how to be considerate. He could demand whatever he wants to, and throw a tantrum when he does not get it. It is natural, for a child's concept of happiness and fulfillment is shallow and material. It is fair enough to say that a child is free, free to demand things for his own - but not adults. When a child gets older and older, many restrictions come to him. It is possible that no one directly gives that restrictions, but it could be the environment and society he belongs to that implicates those restrictions.

How many times have I been not permitted to go out late at night by my mother? Countless. According to her, there are a lot of things that could happen, bad things that is, when I stay out late. As an adolescent, I felt I was unfree with having to ask permission every time I go out of the house. Emotionally, I became a rebel. But time came that I began to understand why mom gave so much restriction. Sometimes, too much freedom hurts to the point that you encounter danger.

Before, I considered freedom as having all the power to do everything that I want to. Absolute freedom. But I figured later on that there is no thing as such. Freedom dwells in the acts of goodness -- living in harmony with others. The act of doing something because you feel you are compelled to do so, that is not definitely freedom.

I remember having watched the movie The Dark Knight -- the Joker grouped the society into two groups: the delinquents, and the typical, "normal" people. The two groups were placed into separate boats, both boats having bombs implanted in them. However, each group was given a detonator to blow up the other boat. If a certain group decide to indeed blow up the other boat, they will be saved from death. But if the two groups refuse to activate the detonator in due time, both of them will die. What do you think happened? Did the delinquents, criminals as they are, blow up the other boat? Or did the supposed goody-goody citizens do it because criminals deserve to suffer? Actually, no one did. And that was their choice - not to kill, do what is good. The Joker thought that all people are like him, cruel and heartless most especially in times of extreme pressure. The Joker failed in his own "social experiment."

Batman, my all-time favorite hero, said, "In this life, it's either you die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain." Perhaps my idol was a little bit depressed when he said that, who wouldn't when you see your society deliberately become immoral. It is true in many instances I guess. However, I still think that it is us who make the choice to act for what is good and for what is otherwise.

Freedom should not be self-centered. Being free, as I said, is to live in harmony with others. Social people as we are we cannot afford just to look after ourselves. Instead, what we must do as free beings is to think about others. Just like what Christ did.

Making decisions is the most grueling part of being human. That is why every option we choose must be carefully contemplated. Whatever we choose has a direct effect not only to ourselves but to others as well.

We decide who we want to be, but it should be carefully chosen for we will indubitably endure its lifetime consequence.