Jan says at RevGals: After spending the past six weeks with my right arm tightly bound to my body with a "shoulder immobilizing" sling due to shoulder surgery, I was able to discard that restrictive device three days ago. Such freedom in movement is to be savored! This brought to mind how we experience freedom in many different ways in our lives.
For today's Friday Five, tell us about your times of release or detachment (freedom!) in such areas as:
1. physical: At different times in the past I have been free from excess weight on my body, and I want to be so again. Don't misunderstand; I am fortunate to have a body on which most everything works just right, and I am grateful for it. But I am carrying extra avoirdupois and it is weighing me down...in several ways. It's bad for my health, and that gets worse the longer I keep it. It's bad for my comfort. Child's pose and tying shoes...tough with the current physique. I could go on, but you get the idea. So here goes, again.
2. spiritual: Spiritual freedom has come when I have seen God at work in my life, usually in the words or actions of others. And the more time I spend listening quietly, the more freedom I experience.
3. emotional: Lots and lots of therapy over the years has caused me to approach life and relationships in much healthier ways. I do less of assuming people can read my mind (and getting upset when they don't act accordingly!!) I work hard to keep my side of the street clean and not worry about others'. The word here is ACCEPTANCE.
4. vocational: I'm still working on what I want to be when I grow up, and taking some small steps in that direction. When I figure it out I'll let you know.
5. relationships: Hmm. I have a few very close relationships which is generally the case. I am working on letting people be who they are, and resisting frustration sometimes. The life lesson on this, that I have to learn again and again, is: "I can't change other people." Moments of clarity on that have been the most freeing feelings of my life.
