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(This is article 3 out of 5 on the topic of freedom.)
Free .
The English word free comes from the German frei which means dear or beloved. (Similarly, the word liberty parallels it as it comes from the Latin liberi — meaning both free and children.)
The idea is that if you are dear to those in charge, then you have certain privileges.
This makes sense. We cut slack for people closest to us more than we do for those people – the ones we think of as far away and who we pretend we are nothing like.
Can you imagine that the universe or God (whatever you want to call it) finds you to be dear? Can you imagine that you are beloved in this world?
I think of it this way: pretend that a benefactor has given you the keys to a weekend house and told you to make yourself comfortable… do you?
If your personal theology gets all mixed up in the letters gee-oh-dee, you aren’t alone. Many adults get confused when we introduce those three letters. If you want to learn about having an adult understanding of the word God, click to download the notes or click to download the audio of the 3/17 meaningful talk on God. Or take a look at my book on the subject.
Spiritual-religious advice: contemplate your freedom and that to God or the universe, you are dear.
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