Freedom is different for everyone. It could mean enough money to be able to pay the bills and have some left over for those special things. It could be working outdoors and not in an office. It may mean not being confined to people’s labels and expectations.
For me, freedom is being out in the open air, looking over expanses of country, mountains or lakes. Yet, now, I am looking out of an office window at the skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Now, I know that Vancouver, compared with many cities, is small. It is surrounded by either mountains or ocean; it is green and well cared for with attractive areas downtown. As a city, it is OK. Actually, as a city it is exceptional, but I am struggling to breathe here.
On Sunday, I went up to Burnaby Mountain. It’s not big, but it is green, has trees, and looks out onto water, hillsides covered with pines and cedars, and on the horizon, majestic mountains that reach to the sky. For me, that is freedom. Here I can breathe, have a bigger view and not be confined to the city streets and alleyways, and the trappings of shops, cars and must-haves.
So, I’m learning about myself more. I am coming to terms with the life I have lived, the business that I have been involved with, was a means to an end. For me, what I really need is the expanse of the mountains and lakes, to breathe fresh air and to get my hands dirty in soil and vegetation. That to me is freedom.
Related articles
- Burnaby Mountain (westvantaz.wordpress.com)
katehobbs 
I think i’m like you that way, i like the mountains and being out of the city! where we are moving is a small town on the outskirts of the city…i’m good with that but still miss the mountains. glad you had a wonderful time.
Thank you Catherine (or Kate) for linking my post. I am honoured. Thank you for visiting my site.
You are welcome Ben. I enjoyed Burnaby Mtn.
Lovely article Kate. Freedom has always been one of my favourite words. Freedom of thought, movement, speech, and places like wild empty moors and long isolated beaches!
And flying in an open canopy!
Thanks for commenting, as always Jude.
Kate
Freedom is different for everyone, yes. I feel beautifully free on a beach, my face into the sun and looking out at the ocean, vast.
But trees – trees are something else : tall, grounded, solid. They feel like company, standing by you.
I think that because many trees have been around for centuries, they have so many stories to tell. So I can understand your thinking of them being like company. What a wonderful thought.
Thanks for coming by and commenting.
hi Kate,
thank you for your comment at
I agree, freedom is different to everybody and it shouldn’t be judged. Thanks for your input on my series Faceless, it was the concept I was going for. To live up to everyone’s expectations of who you should be and forgetting who you are inside.
Hi Megan
I appreciate you looking at my blog and thanks for the posting. We should definitely hold onto the truth of who we are made to be rather than conform to other peoples thinking and expectations.