“…keep in mind that the purpose of freedom is to create it for others.”
From the novel The Fixer by Bernard Malamud
This suggests that our freedom is more than a fact or even a right, but creating it for others is also a responsibility. Perhaps not everyone will feel this way about freedom, but for others, this may be a key to happiness and purpose.
Of course, human nature may have us thinking about the benefits associated with any responsibility we take on – perhaps this example will connect with you:
I recently saw the great business thinker Simon Sinek speak to a fascinated audience. One of his most powerful points was about how people can find solutions for their own problems by working to help others solve their problems. He believes that the act of service to others can be the elixir of life for us, both through how it makes us feel as well as what we learn through others that can help us better understand our own challenges.
There is a special power in the Bernard Malamud quote above – it was part of a book about a sympathetic character who was wrongfully accused and received truly inhuman treatment at the hands of “the authorities,” but his ability to believe in something beyond himself prevailed.
Each of us will decide what we believe about this view of freedom as an engine for serving others, but if Simon Sinek is right, perhaps the purposeful effort would prove as good for you as for those you serve. I hope so.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback. Please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
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