I have an unusual take on freedom.
It is not really my take at all. I learned about this from Great Masters. But it makes more visceral sense to me as I age.
True freedom is when you do not want anything, anything at all, from anyone.
We go through life and never recognize how much the world we live in is shaped by our expectations.
And how happy we are – or are not – depends on whether those expectations are met.
You may say that you do not ‘expect’ anything from your children.
But you do.
You want them to give you a warm ‘hello’ and visit you or talk on the phone or on Zoom and tell you about what is going on in their lives.
You may say that you do not ‘expect’ anything from your friends.
But you do.
You would like them to spend time with you and cheer you when you are down and be the sympathetic recipient of your confidences.
You may say that you do not ‘expect’ anything from that perfect stranger on the street.
But you do.
At a minimum you expect that he will not bother you in any way and certainly he will not biff you in the stomach and disappear with your wallet.
Pause for a while and contemplate the many ways in which you contort yourself so that your ‘expectations’ are fulfilled.
You want to be well regarded, your jokes to be laughed at, your performance to be applauded, your generosity to be praised, your status to be recognized …
The list is endless.
What would happen if you really, truly did not expect anything from anyone?
If you ever get to that stage, you would be free.
Peace!
