Choosing to Be Free to Think and Say and Do and Be

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

― Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965)

Every step of our conscious life,

We strive and strain to ever avoid strife,

It’s tiring and confusing and self-anarchy,

When it is our souls were destined to be free.

Relating with people is laden with grief,

The absence of love with some is the thief,

Then there are those who make life worth living,

These are the ones who are continually forgiving.

As we walk this dusty road resplendent of being,

By thinking and talking and very truly seeing,

Best thoughts are best when they don’t escape,

Best acts are best when we can acceptably relate.

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Authenticity is the glorious reality for the person who fights to retain it; to be as they can be and to maintain what they already have as an essence of their true selves. This is integrity. And to have integrity is to be blessed.

As we plunge through the waters of our realities in life, diving deeper and exploring the ocean floor, and, at times swimming along the surface, we will know various experiences of authentic and inauthentic being with ourselves. Even as we relate with ourselves in a mirror, we will have the opportunity to accept or reject the person who looks back at us from the other side.

Authenticity is finally the grand invitation to integrity.

With integrity is the wisdom to relate well: with God, others, our world, ourselves.

Relating well is the opportunity of freedom from ongoing regret, from resentment, from relying on anyone but God.

And relating well is life. Whenever we are at the opposite extreme – when we are relating poorly – our minds and hearts are occupied with things that are a waste of time, unless there is hope for learning and reconciliation.

When we are free to think and say and do and be then we have the abundant life. But wherever there are encumbrances there is a lack of life. This obviously doesn’t include times when we have the role of restraint. As a pastor I must keep many confidences. As a human being there is also that responsibility. What are in view here are not the confidences we must keep, but the freedom within ourselves to be ourselves. It is blessed to be free to think and say and do and be – to make wise choices because there isn’t any internal limitation against ourselves.

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Being free under God to think, say, do and be: exercise courage, befriend authenticity, and acquire integrity.

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.