Freedom

Months ago my neighbor hosted an end-of-summer cook-out.  We were excited to go because the host is a grill-master and was preparing jerk chicken with grilled pineapple. More importantly, it was a great chance to meet more of our neighbors.

I had the opportunity to chat at length with neighbors who recently moved here from South Africa. We connected over some of the challenges that moving to this area has brought: lack of decent coffee shops, very few local, delicious restaurant options, and awful drivers.  We also talked about some of the benefits of living in this part of America.

I was so curious to hear this family's take on living in a quiet little suburb in the South.  They commented on how wonderful it was that their kids could play in neighborhood streets while adults gather around portable fire-pits in the driveway, neighbors have BBQs outside on a sunny day, and they regularly meet up at the community pool to chat and soak up the sun.  Knowing very little about South Africa I asked "you don't do any of these things back home"?  Their eyes grew wide and they said "absolutely not".  They described their property as surrounded by large metal fencing, alarm systems on every door and window, and how unsafe it would be to gather outside the walls of their home.  

Then this neighbor said something that made me pause and think.  With his arms outstretched gesturing at the crowded yard, he said "this is freedom - freedom is being able to leave your house without fear".

I never thought of boring suburban streets as freedom.

I think of freedom as MY ability to worship God as I choose, deciding my own vocation and which state of this Union I want to reside in, electing officials, and moving around the city and country without restriction.  More recently, I have thought about freedom as being able to gather when I want, choosing to wear a mask or not, and to vaccinate or not. 

Personal safety is something I have never had to worry about.

Many times since that cook-out I have passed this neighbor's house and was reminded of their definition of freedom, and took a moment to be thankful that I have always been free.