In the heart of Maine, where the lake waters gleam, Where dreams unfurl like ripples in a gentle stream, I was a child, with innocence aglow, Growing up by the lake, where wild spirits flow.
With the morning sun, I’d rise at dawn’s first light, Embracing the day, with wonder and delight, The scent of pine, the soft whispers of the breeze, In nature’s arms, I found solace and peace.
A fishing rod in hand, I’d sit by the shore, Casting my hopes like dreams, where the fish would explore, Patiently waiting, my heart in harmony, With the rhythm of the waves, and the call of the loon’s glee.
As the sun climbed high, I’d plunge into the lake, With joyous splashes, my worries I’d forsake, In the cool, clear depths, I’d let my worries drown, Becoming one with the water, in this haven I’d be bound.
Running free through the woods, a spirited race, With friends at my side, laughter echoing in grace, The canopy above, a green cathedral high, We’d chase fleeting shadows, under the vast, open sky.
Each day a canvas, where memories were painted, With colors of laughter, of joy, and adventures untainted, In this idyllic world, we’d weave stories to treasure, As we danced with the sun, and embraced simple pleasure.
The fireflies would twinkle, like stars from the earth, As twilight descended, a magical rebirth, We’d gather ’round the campfire, stories to share, Under a moonlit canopy, our spirits laid bare.
As seasons passed by, we grew with the land, Matured like the oaks, as nature’s guiding hand, But the spirit of freedom, the lake’s boundless grace, Still lingers within us, time cannot erase.
Now, as I look back, through the years that have flown, I cherish those days of innocence I’ve known, For the lake in Maine, where my heart found its voice, Will forever remain, my sanctuary of choice.
Freedom- the power or the right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
One factor that influences the enjoyment that a person has in their life is the amount of freedom they experience every day. The focus of this word is to encourage people to raise their level of consciousness; each of us has space all around us or the lack thereof. How much power does a person have to act, speak, or think as one wants? Be conscious of your thoughts, words, and actions and take a brief moment to analyze why you do the things you do, say the things you speak, and think about what you believe. Are we as free as we think? Or, more importantly, are our freedoms limited by what other people think? Look at the messages the institutions of the world are publishing and question their validity. Be yourself, not the puppet of an idea or philosophy. Remain free.
Freedom of Thought
We are free to think whatever we want when it comes to thought. However, there are influences on our thinking all of the time. People need to be vigilant to ensure that they do not believe what someone else wants them to believe. We are bombarded with messages about what is “right.”
Silhouette of a child jumping cliff with sunset background
thought from the time we enter the world and throughout our development. Parents, relatives, teachers, friends, popular television, marketers, and media invest time training your mind to think as they would like you to. If you are not careful, there is no room for unique thoughts because you are too busy doing what others tell you.
Please put all of that aside and look at your thoughts and where they came from. Are they something that you feel, or are they something somebody else wishes you to think? Prejudice, hate, and intolerance are often thoughts taught to us by others. You have the freedom to dislike anyone you want. You also have the freedom to care about all people as you should. Your choice is the love, acceptance, and kindness you show toward others. There is no more critical freedom than this. You have the freedom to stay away from stereotypes and the fear-based mentality that will take away your liberties. Love makes you accessible. Fear limits you. Your freedom is to choose thoughts in either direction and live with the consequences.
Freedom of Action
Are we free to act any way we want? In some ways we are, in the United States today, people can dress however they like, go where they want, and do the things they want to do. This surface freedom of acting any way you wish to has limits. You can’t break the laws or norms of society, or you will be punished. These laws are working to keep us safe, but too many regulations limit the amount of freedom a person has. Simple things like seat belt laws work to take away a person’s choice. Even though I believe it is safer to wear a seatbelt than not. It should still be my choice. Taking away options from people is a limit on freedom.
Look at your life and how society is trying to limit your freedom. Through awareness, you will notice your rights to freedom being eroded. Look at the limits placed on your actions and the limit of choice society wants to provide. It is in these things that your liberation exists. Who knows better how to keep you safe and provide you with a life you enjoy, you or the government? You or the Church? You or any other organization? How you choose to act and use your freedom is vital to the enjoyment you get out of life. Be conscious of the releases of action that you experience every day.
What Does Freedom Mean to YOU??
Freedom can be a terrifying proposition. Along with freedom of thought, choice, and action comes responsibility. This is the tricky part because you are responsible for your actions. It can be much easier to follow a protocol and do what you are told in a job. There is no responsibility in this chain of command, and there is no original thought or creativity. Some people only want to live in a gilded cage of illusionary freedom. That is fine for them but not for everybody. The enclosure protects you from your fears and makes you believe all is well.
If you don’t want to be limited by the system or find out what you are capable of, you have to leave the cage and face your fears. In facing your fear, the light of truth will reveal them for what they are, just thoughts. Once the fear of freedom is conquered, there is no telling where you can go and what you can do. The only person limiting you then is you.
What is Real Freedom?
When we are born, we are free. As we develop through society’s teaching, our freedom is stripped away. We learn to sit in rows, be quiet, follow directions, never question authority, and find the “right” answers to all things. But deep inside of us all is the desire to be free. To make your line, sit out of order, question all things, and do things your way. Innovation happens this way, and inventions occur this way. Life is changed this way.
So be conscious today of your freedom and where you can exercise it. It exists everywhere, in the world, or just in your mind. Be aware of your thoughts, words, and actions, understand why you do what you do, and accept what you accept from others. For every person seeking freedom of expression, there seems to be someone else seeking to repress it.
“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.” ~
“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that’s all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild. So you let them go, or when you open the cage to feed them, they somehow fly out past you. And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their departure.” ― Stephen King
Ask almost anyone, and one of the things they want in their life, more than anything else, are feelings of Freedom. But when you think about the concept of Freedom, what exactly does the word mean for you? Most would agree with the standard dictionary definition: the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. I know that is what I envision.
We are left with determining what hinders us or restraining us from speaking, thinking, or acting how we want today. Freedom does not come to any person without responsibilities; we are always responsible for our actions, whether they be of Freedom or not. So let’s think about Freedom for a while and what we need to do to experience it in all areas of our lives, right now, today.
What Freedom Looks Like
All of the actions we take, the words we speak, and the thoughts we think are choices we make. We are, in fact, free to do, say, or think whatever we want. But some factors tell us we are limited in what we can do. When you think about Freedom, it will have some particular characteristics attached to it. For example, Freedom is oriented toward the future. Once a barrier is broken, the yoke of restraint is cast off. You will never be affected by that restraining thing again. This idea is constantly created through a realistic perception. Not fearful, but practical. You can quit your job right now, but it is not realistic with no plan to support yourself and your family. Many stop right there and stay in limited situations for the rest of their lives. This location is where you plan your escape and move toward Freedom. You can be responsible and accessible at the same time.
Freedom will require a person to step into the possibilities of life firmly and with resolve. See the potential in all situations and take action to make these things a reality in your life. Not someday, but today. When you look honestly inside of yourself, the things that are stopping you from finding this Freedom are usually self-perpetuating fearful thoughts about what might happen or what someone else might think. By placing new situations in your life and honestly evaluating how you feel about them. You have the choice to seek out the supportive emotions you have or the ones that do not support your Freedom. Allow for the new feelings of a situation to arise in you and honestly see how they feel. They may be a perfect fit right away, or you may have an adjustment period. Freedom allows you to start defining who you are. Are you honest? Are you kind? Are you supportive of others? or do you choose something else? These are all questions that Freedom will answer for you. As your awareness grows, you will know what fits you and what doesn’t. That is what freedom feels like.
Are You Ready for Freedom?
The short answer for most people is, heck, yes! But are you? You are ready for Freedom when you are excited by whatever is happening or will be happening in your life. You know the feeling that something beautiful, upbeat, and all-around fantastic is about to take place in your experience. You will feel more awake in your day-to-day existence and aware of all things floating in and out of your choices. If they are honest, each person has had a feeling inside of them that will guide you exactly where you need to go. You imagine what it will be like to go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and say whatever it is you want to say. The images come to you from a place of knowing and that place inside of you. The key is to let your mind be quiet so that you can hear what your heart is telling you.
You will know you are ready for Freedom when a change is the only real option for you and that moving forward is a done deal to you. No words, actions, thoughts by another could discourage you. You are ready to move forward and accept the responsibility for the Freedom you want to make a part of your life. Even though you haven’t experienced it yet, you can’t wait to share what you seek to achieve. Remember that Freedom does not include pretending. All thoughts and imagination should be focused on natural, tangible things and followed with action. Action always separates reality from those that are acting. Don’t get overwhelmed with specifics and details. All of those things will take care of themselves. Too much thought leads to doubt, indecision, and a significant lack of Freedom.
Be Responsible
All acts of Freedom are responsible and never put people at undue risk. For example, leaving the people you have commitments to do something else is not Freedom, and it is irresponsible, mean, and shows a lack of character.
Freedom is a way to achieve the ability to say, act, and think whatever you want. You don’t have to be foolish to do this. Janice Joplin once said Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. I can’t entirely agree with that thought. When you have nothing left to forget, there is little choice involved. Why not act? True Freedom comes with options and responsibility. That is the way of life. Seek your Freedom and enjoy it when you find it, but know that everything comes with a price. Approach it in the right direction, and the price will be enjoyable to play as well.
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”—Charlotte Bronte
“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”—Virginia Woolf
“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”—Mahatma Gandhi
“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.”—Aung San Suu Kyi
“Freedom (n.): To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.”—Ayn Rand
“We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edge of print. It gave us more Freedom. We lived in the gaps between the stories.”—Margaret Atwood
“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”
Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?
I think that no matter how far along you have come in life, there are always some things that have stuck with you, and even though you think that you have let go of it, you really haven’t.
To be happy in life and to really enjoy the experiences that I am blessed with every day, there is a constant letting go of perceived slights, whether big or small, from others. Forgive the people, let the act go, and release the negative from your life.
Today I am thinking about the process of how I let things go and what experiences I have to let drift into the ether and cease to be a problem for me. It is easy to say but difficult to do when your emotions become involved, and your thoughts make you perceive someone’s actions as a personal slight. Letting go and forgiving is hard. Be fearless in your forgiveness. It reflects well on you. Other people’s poor behavior is their problem.
Forgiving and Letting Go
There is a freedom that comes from truly forgiving someone for hurting you. It doesn’t mean that you condone what they did, like it, or ever want to see it repeated. It simply means that you will no longer let whatever someone else did have any power over you.
It sounds trivial and overly simple, but it is just that. Just because it is simple doesn’t mean it is easy. I know that I let some of my own false crosses become a definition of who I was for a long time, yet I learned in the end that what has happened to you isn’t who you are. It is what happened to you. Who you are is shown by your reaction to the situation.
We are much like any tree in our existence, a tree goes through all types of different weather, but after it all, the tree is still a tree. It may have lost some branches and may have a few scars on its trunk, but it is still the same tree before, but with more experience. So you are the same person, just a wiser version. Of course, most of us would like to do without someone deceiving us, lying to us, or just harming us in one way or another.
You are still the same as you. Forgiveness and releasing was the process for me to stop blaming the storms of life and accept all responsibility for my own decisions. In the end, I am responsible for the choices I have made—nobody else. So I forgive them and thank them for the lesson.
So what Still Needs to Go?
You know if you still have something to forgive if when you think of a person or a situation, there is a burning feeling inside. It almost feels like a searing sensation that is brought on simply by thought. Sometimes you can not feel it but then when something comes to you as a surprise that the burn is still there.
The Universe has a way of presenting you with things you need to work on without looking too hard. Today I was on LinkedIn, and there was a suggested contact of someone I used to work with. I quickly experienced this searing sensation but also realized that it was time to let that anger go.
It was inappropriate and almost shocked me that I still have this strong a reaction to someone who was a representation of a negative experience. I knew it was really time to let it go.
I took a moment and forgave the entire situation and then let it go. I am not sure I can help with it anymore. It sounds easy, and it really is, but it is also hard to really do because we tend to cling to our bad situations. They make tremendous excuses for what ails us.
It is a feeling that is difficult to describe; if you truly forgive and no longer blame anyone else for situations and accept them as situations, then there is no longer anger, fear, hate, or frustration. Those spaces can be filled with other things that are more positive love, acceptance, understanding, and kindness, to name a few.
Letting Go Of One
This one I have to let go of. I once had a perfect friend I worked closely with for years, and our relationship did not end well. He perceived things in me that I do not think were true. I feel I was mistreated by him, who was my most trusted and relied upon friend.
This was a person whom I looked up to and really relied on. In good times and bad, there was a friend I could count on. Yet, the last conversation I had with him was devastating. I was treated to a barrage of accusations and hostility. I wouldn’t mind that so much, but our relationship was different, I thought. I walked away from that conversation and have never been so hurt in my life.
To hurt me, I am sure, was the intent because he had perceived a hurt. I was angry for a long time and have let go of this bit by bit over the years, but finally, I had to let it go once and for all. I allowed a character flaw in another to control the way I feel. I released it. The harsh words, the confrontation, and the negative feelings are all gone and have no power in my life. I forgive him and send love and understanding to him.
I replace the negative with the love for my brother that I have always felt. There were about a million times I wanted to talk to him and bury the hatchet, mend the fences, but some things are not meant to be, I guess.
In the end, my philosophy can be summed up pretty shortly, that life is a short ride, and to get the most out of life, you have to be able to process and move past the difficult parts to enjoy the rest of the ride and learn and experience what you have the good fortune to experience. Love is hard to find in a soul that is worried about revenge and payback.
Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?
Forgive and forget. It may not change the past, but it gives the future a chance.
The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.
Forgiving someone is easy, but being able to trust them again is a totally different story.
Remember, when you forgive, you heal, and when you let go, you grow.
Do not let the shadows of your past darken the doorstep of your future. Forgive.
I’ve seen your face before, my friend, but I don’t know if you know who I am.
A view of our favorite swimming spot through the trees on Dyer’s Pond
In all of my formative years, I was fortunate to be blessed, living within view of a lake or a pond in all places I lived. My earliest memories are of these places. They are Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine and Dyers Long Pond in Jefferson, Maine. Each comes back to me in memories and it is clearly a part of my soul is in each. This is the story of how these two lakes contributed to my life and formed much of what I understand about the world today. It is a fortunate thing to be raised in the woods of Maine, even though I often thought otherwise. There are lessons you learn about life and respect for nature many people seem to lack today.
Water– Brad Paisley- To live in rural areas one of the first elements you need to master is water. Learning to swim in this scary, monstrous and mysterious lake is one of the first challenges we meet. I remember well
This was camp, and that boat was my main source of travel, freedom, and entertainment.
the day I learned to swim. I was standing on the dock at my grandfathers. Tentatively thinking about swimming but fear was in my way. What if I couldn’t do it? Suddenly I was picked up and was hurtling through the air and into that dark scary abyss. After the initial fear and shock wore off, I realized that I was swimming, and there wasn’t anything to be afraid of at all. Life lesson learned. It is one I have to recall even today when something new comes along. Jump in, give it a go, you will never know if you don’t give it a try. Yeah, when that summer sun starts to beatin’ down. And you don’t know what to do. Grab your swimming trunks. Ice up that old igloo. Drive until the map turns blue.
Down to the Waterline– Dire Straits There was a path that ran from our camp on Dyers Pond through the woods, past four other camps with the final destination of my grandparents. I ran that path thousands of times in my youth, usually with no shoes on. I knew all of the camps and their inhabitants as well as family. The path was right next to the water. I was very fortunate to be set free almost all summer. I had to be polite when I was around people and was taught to be honest, kind and caring. But when it came to summer days, I was set free with my brothers to go and do whatever I could dream up that day. The woods and the waters were my playgrounds and my teachers. Respect was the biggest lesson I learned running along the waterline. She can see him on the jetty where they used to go. She can feel him in the places where the sailors go. When she’s walking by the river and the railway line. She can still hear him whisper, “Let’s go down to the waterline.”
All Summer Long– Kid Rock- Growing up and going to camp every summer of my life was a tough life. The lake was not only for fun but also for bathing. There was no shower at the camp. Why? Because you went swimming every day. Usually two or three times. We actually could go as many times as we wanted as long as we could find someone to watch us. Any adult would do. Of course, we also had to wait 30 minutes after we ate before we could swim. It was based on the unfounded belief that if you swam before your food started to digest you would get cramps and drown. We followed this “science” without question. Living at camp also meant, using an outhouse, and filling up jugs of drinking water and carrying them home. We definitely take a lot of simple things for granted today. Splashing through the sandbar. Talking by the campfire. It’s the simple things in life, like when and where. We didn’t have no internet But man I never will forget.
The way the moonlight shined upon her hair
On the Border– Al Stewart- Wind was a constant companion on all lakes. In Greenville, the wind was a powerful and constant factor in life. It made a moderate day colder and a cold day frigid. It did develop a toughness, that if you can handle that cold wind, everything else is minor leagues. In Jefferson, the wind dictated what types of activities the day would bring. Wind out of the south meant warm happy days of sunshine. Wind out of the North meant colder days and maybe some indoor time. In the village where I grew up. Nothing seems the same. Still you never see the change from day to day.No one notices the customs slip away.
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay– Otis Redding- There are many subtle things about living on a lake you take for granted at the time, but remember as priceless memories. Seeing the movement of the water through the day, or the shadows as they move. Shouting to nobody so that you can hear the echo of emptiness roll off into the distance. Sometimes sitting, watching and thinking are the best adventures available. You just have to take the time to notice them. A lake is a living, breathing entity that provides a life for millions of creatures small and large. As a day drifted softly toward its conclusion, the shadows on the shore grew long and I knew it was time to find the warmth that was waiting at home. So I’m just gonna sit on the dock of the bay. Watching the tide roll away. Ooo, I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay. Wastin’ time.
Thin Lizzy by Mike Martin
If I want to feel invincible, all I need to do is listen to The Boys Are Back in Town from the Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy. The song was originally released in 1976, on their album sixth studio album, Jailbreak- a song that wasn’t even selected to be on the record until a couple of Louisville, Kentucky DJs helped bring the song to prominence.
Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven’t changed that much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
“It was 1976 and we were touring America,” recalled Scott Gorham (a California guitarist who contributed to the Thin Lzzy’s twin lead guitar signature style). “Jailbreak wasn’t shifting and we weren’t selling any tickets – but there we were, gigging around… The manager came in and told us, ‘Well guys, it looks like you have a hit record’… Our response was, ‘Wow! Which song are you talking about?’ When he replied, ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’, it was a case of “Really?” We’d demoed maybe 15 songs and ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ wasn’t among the ten that we chose for the album, which in some ways made it a double surprise. We owe it all to two DJs in Louisville, Kentucky. They fell in love with the (x) song and played it incessantly until other stations in the surrounding area picked up on it… Had that song not kickstarted the sales of the
Boy trying to get back in town
album, then the band was over.”
Thin Lizzy formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969. Phil Lynott’s was the band’s de facto leader. He was the composer or co-composer of almost all of the band’s songs, and the first black Irishman to achieve commercial success. He died from a condition induces from Heroin dependency in 1986.
Stay safe folks and please have a terrific Tuesday!
Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville
gleam, Where dreams unfurl like ripples in a gentle stream, I was a child, with innocence aglow, Growing up by the lake, where wild spirits flow.
