Are We Free?
Every day, in various
corners of the world, different cultures, different nations and
different people are fighting for their freedom. They are fighting to
live freely, to express themselves without restraint, or just to be able
to go on with their daily lives. This fight is a sacred battle, but what
happens after that?
We're living in a free
country, and are studying in an environment in which we can easily
express our thoughts. When we want to express our feelings, we have the
ability to communicate by speaking, writing or even by just looking. But
are our souls and minds free?
I don't know. Sometimes
I feel like I'm stuck in a corner and don't have any way to get out. Our
souls are programmed to do good things and to learn not to make mistakes.
Our minds are programmed to learn, to study, to earn a living and so on.
But don't we forget to
feed our souls and minds? We always have duties to complete, jobs that
occupy our lives, problems that limit our happiness. As we get older,
these things fill our lives. We forget to give ourselves time to pause
and think about the moment at hand. We get lost in the routine and
become the slaves of our own lives. Time goes by-- and with each second
we lose, we get further from our souls and minds.
So, are we free? I don't
think so. Can we be free? I hope so.
We have to choose to
free our souls and minds, by feeding them with real life apart from the
everyday routine. People are spending so much time making their lives "better,"
but meanwhile are missing the opportunities to feed their souls. When
was the last time that you took a deep breath of the fresh air in the
early morning, or when it had just started to rain? When was the last
time that you really smelled a flower, or cooked something just to
please yourself?
I can't really remember
the last time I did something like that, either. I can't remember the
last time I really concentrated on a song's lyrics while listening to
it, or tried to really understand the script while watching a movie.
Because they're so full of the routine things that I have to do in my
everyday life, I can't find the space to feed my own soul and mind.
So, am I free? Again, I
don't think so.
I hope all of you have a
really free week.
Sıla Türkü Kural (EE/IV)
turku@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
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