May 14, 2008

Freedom verses Free Will

So, I wanted to apologize for the absence. Here I just started this blog and then abandoned it for a month. But I have a very good excuse- actually an exciting excuse. I am pregnant! Unfortunately, that has also meant I have been very sick all day with "morning sickness". One of these days someone will have to explain why they call it morning sickness if it lasts all day! Anyway, that's the big news around here.
I wanted to take a minute to leave you with something to think about as well. I've been thinking alot lately about freedom and free will and the difference between the two. I have free will to do whatever I want to. I could drive across the country tonight if I chose to, and abandoned all my responsibilities at home. That's free will. The ability to do whatever I want at any time. But what about freedom? Is that the same thing? I would say no. Freedom is not being enslaved by anything. It's making choices that are going to be life-giving, not life-taking. Sure, I have free will to get in my car and leave if I wanted to, and some people would say that is freedom- being on the open road, the wind in my hair. But there will be consequences to that choice. I"m assuming my husband would be very upset, and there would be consequences I would have to deal with that would not be enjoyable.
Now relating this to EDs. Sure, we all have the free will to actively participate in our EDs if we wanted. But that is not the same thing as freedom. Cause I was not free when I was in my ED. I was a slave. Sure, I was using free will, but not freedom. Freedom is a responsibility. My freedom came with me making the choice that I can't always do what i want to because it is not always a life-giving choice. I mean, was I really free when I so involved in my ED that I missed out on life? Is that freedom? No.
So think about the choices you are making. And not just concerning EDs. Are you truly free, or are you just exercising free will in an enslaving way?

No comments: