Hey Nadia, this was a good read and far better take on freedom. Freedom is not free, it's always at the cost of someone else's. I sometimes think it's unfair that such inequalities and conundrums exist but that's just the way it is, it's either us or them. But there's a better way like you mentioned, to go hand-in-hand, where you care for a few and they do the same. Again, is it fair to expect others to understand our perspective?? Are we free to expect?
The good news is that the current 'this is just the way it is' was also invented by people - so we CAN invent a new way, we can have a different world and systems that benefit everyone. It requires a lot of work though and it requires the ruling class to step down and give up shit and all of us to stop striving to BE THE RULING CLASS. I don't think I am going to see this change in my lifetime but I want to be part of laying the foundation for it.
Yes, a lot of work required. A lot many mindsets have to be changed but when we write about it and slowly incorporate it, we've already laid foundations, Nadia. All it requires is a little push :)
Oh when I read your work it fills me with hope. We must be real and you're real and honester by the newsletter, and for those who know that we must step into the discomfort to even begin to know what needs to be changed and built. Not because we love pain but because we must build and respond to what is real. If you think love and life must be sweet then you're missing the wild marvellousness of it all! It's sweet, it hurts, it's bitter, hot and cold, this is life. There is no escapism here! Thank you!
You cannot imagine how I feel finding people having these conversations, at this level with such radical honesty. This crisis in all its monstrous slaughter has shown me company. Thank you.
Could not agree more. There is so much suffering in this world on many levels due to many (absolutely solvable) problems.
Meanwhile I have the privilege of health, wealth and time to “work on myself” which I am greedily doing in my well funded retirement.
We have to do more collectively to solve the problems. Unfortunately the powers that be benefit from homelessness, broken border, corporate price gouging and broken health care and tax systems.
This is because they are able to blame blue states or democrats for these problems and it works.
In the meantime profits go up and more people fall into poverty.
We have to “witness” the suffering we don’t have the freedom to look away.
We can all do more and need to stick together as humans.
We absolutely can. I believe a different world is possible because we used to have it differently and capitalism is an invention - so we can invent something else too. I hope to see it in my lifetime but if I don't I want to be a part of laying the foundation.
Thank you for your reflection and for acknowledging your privilege without looking away!
When I first read the title, I scoffed because *in my Jamaican accent* how you mean my freedom is not the most important thing. However, I read it through the lens of someone who often dwells in the shadows of their own "good" intentions. I read it through the lens of someone who has not had the privilege of looking away...This piece challenged me to zoom out, to move past my judgment of the title, and engage with its actual message. And I learned that I do in fact agree. Thank you!
Your personal freedom is not the most important thing. If your personal freedom comes at the expense of someone else’s (which is true for most of us) it’s not freedom, it’s privilege. It’s not something you earned, you simply got lucky. You need to understand that you could easily have been on the other side.
Fuck. Beautiful. This has been my work with writing courses for decades. Fall in love outwards, as Robinson Jeffers wrote. It's why Basho invented haiku, to see and appreciate and walk in the actual world - zen was all my-navel-is-deeper than-yours. And outside, nature is there to meet us, hold hands and claws and wings and mycelium and breeze and,
We are all at least as big as the planet. Heal there. Work there. Fight there. Laugh and cry in the boughs of so many communities.
And I thought I'd lost those connections, but here you are, a voice in a forest, reaching out. Hope, after all. It's a big deal.
Thanks, keep reaching out like this, a lot of us a more tired than we ever thought we'd be.
"Are you ‘switching off’ in order to ignore our people who are being exploited and killed near and far? Or are you recharging in order to increase your capacity to witness, to grief and to act?"
There are so many things I could quote from this post, but this one stands out because it felt like a personal challenge. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by everything happening I run into the quietest corners of my mind, or dissociate with social media, video games or whatever is easiest. But you're right, we must stand witness to what is happening to our sisters and brothers. As always, you write with so much truth and power.
I love this review 😄 Thank you so much Hereward!
Amen.
❤️
Good points.
Thank you for taking the time to read!
Hey Nadia, this was a good read and far better take on freedom. Freedom is not free, it's always at the cost of someone else's. I sometimes think it's unfair that such inequalities and conundrums exist but that's just the way it is, it's either us or them. But there's a better way like you mentioned, to go hand-in-hand, where you care for a few and they do the same. Again, is it fair to expect others to understand our perspective?? Are we free to expect?
The good news is that the current 'this is just the way it is' was also invented by people - so we CAN invent a new way, we can have a different world and systems that benefit everyone. It requires a lot of work though and it requires the ruling class to step down and give up shit and all of us to stop striving to BE THE RULING CLASS. I don't think I am going to see this change in my lifetime but I want to be part of laying the foundation for it.
Yes, a lot of work required. A lot many mindsets have to be changed but when we write about it and slowly incorporate it, we've already laid foundations, Nadia. All it requires is a little push :)
Oh when I read your work it fills me with hope. We must be real and you're real and honester by the newsletter, and for those who know that we must step into the discomfort to even begin to know what needs to be changed and built. Not because we love pain but because we must build and respond to what is real. If you think love and life must be sweet then you're missing the wild marvellousness of it all! It's sweet, it hurts, it's bitter, hot and cold, this is life. There is no escapism here! Thank you!
'Not because we love pain but because we must build and respond to what is real!' THIS!!! Thank you for your words Alex!
You cannot imagine how I feel finding people having these conversations, at this level with such radical honesty. This crisis in all its monstrous slaughter has shown me company. Thank you.
I thought I would cry during the introduction to the first podcast. That’s me!
I feel that! I had the same reaction when listening!
Could not agree more. There is so much suffering in this world on many levels due to many (absolutely solvable) problems.
Meanwhile I have the privilege of health, wealth and time to “work on myself” which I am greedily doing in my well funded retirement.
We have to do more collectively to solve the problems. Unfortunately the powers that be benefit from homelessness, broken border, corporate price gouging and broken health care and tax systems.
This is because they are able to blame blue states or democrats for these problems and it works.
In the meantime profits go up and more people fall into poverty.
We have to “witness” the suffering we don’t have the freedom to look away.
We can all do more and need to stick together as humans.
We absolutely can. I believe a different world is possible because we used to have it differently and capitalism is an invention - so we can invent something else too. I hope to see it in my lifetime but if I don't I want to be a part of laying the foundation.
Thank you for your reflection and for acknowledging your privilege without looking away!
Le tue parole sono potenti, sei un cecchino dell’anima ❤️
Sei un tesoro! Grazie
When I first read the title, I scoffed because *in my Jamaican accent* how you mean my freedom is not the most important thing. However, I read it through the lens of someone who often dwells in the shadows of their own "good" intentions. I read it through the lens of someone who has not had the privilege of looking away...This piece challenged me to zoom out, to move past my judgment of the title, and engage with its actual message. And I learned that I do in fact agree. Thank you!
This made me giggle! Thank yo so so much for keeping your heart open, I wish we could all be like that! Much love to you ❤️
Your personal freedom is not the most important thing. If your personal freedom comes at the expense of someone else’s (which is true for most of us) it’s not freedom, it’s privilege. It’s not something you earned, you simply got lucky. You need to understand that you could easily have been on the other side.
- this.
Thank you for being here Noha, for reading and relating and always leaving love ❤️
The "everyone can be financially abundant" lie is something I've been so hung up on. Thank you for dispelling that. I feel all of this so deeply <3
It's a big doozie isn't it!!! Thank you for being here!
This is just what I needed to hear today. Thank you.
❤️
Fuck. Beautiful. This has been my work with writing courses for decades. Fall in love outwards, as Robinson Jeffers wrote. It's why Basho invented haiku, to see and appreciate and walk in the actual world - zen was all my-navel-is-deeper than-yours. And outside, nature is there to meet us, hold hands and claws and wings and mycelium and breeze and,
We are all at least as big as the planet. Heal there. Work there. Fight there. Laugh and cry in the boughs of so many communities.
And I thought I'd lost those connections, but here you are, a voice in a forest, reaching out. Hope, after all. It's a big deal.
Thanks, keep reaching out like this, a lot of us a more tired than we ever thought we'd be.
A message from Slogan R Us:
Creativity. Community. Courage.
This is so beautiful. Thank you for stopping here and relating and leaving so much warmth. Creativity, community, courage. Always ❤️
I love that - fall in love outwards ❤️
Thank you so much for this incredible article! Very profound! And I loved, loved, loved the image of the heart on fire! ❤️🔥 ❤️
I love it too ❤️ Thank you for being here and leaving love. I appreciate you!
I felt this piece so deeply, thank you so much Nadia!
Thank YOU for reading and leaving it some love. So appreciated ❤️
"Are you ‘switching off’ in order to ignore our people who are being exploited and killed near and far? Or are you recharging in order to increase your capacity to witness, to grief and to act?"
There are so many things I could quote from this post, but this one stands out because it felt like a personal challenge. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by everything happening I run into the quietest corners of my mind, or dissociate with social media, video games or whatever is easiest. But you're right, we must stand witness to what is happening to our sisters and brothers. As always, you write with so much truth and power.
It's a line we all have to walk. Hopefully we don't feel 'bad' but encouraged instead ❤️