When I decided to make "Thank You for My Freedom" the very first song on my new CD, it was for this reason:  when I need a healing change of focus, my first step is remembering I've forgotten I'm free! 

   Seriously.  A lot of times when I get stuck, it's because I forget I'm free.  But if I stop to think about it -- duh! -- not only did God create me free, but freedom is mine on many different levels.  I live in a society in which I can generally do the things I want to do and be who I want to be. 

   Yet freedom still requires spiritual work on my part.  It is up to me to accept my freedom.  

   I was invited to a party -- the grand opening of an event center.  It was an opportunity for me to hand out some business cards and let people know about my new CD, but I knew I would only know a handful of people there.  One of those people in particular brought out the "shy wallflower" in me because she had never shown much interest in who I am or what I do.  I was tempted to think, "If she's there, maybe I should avoid her."  Then I felt my inner light shrink as I pictured hugging the wall at the party, and I remembered the truth:

  God gave me this inner light, and it's up to me to shine it and to go right up to her and say a friendly "hello" -- not because she needs my light necessarily but because I need my light!  This choice required remembering and accepting my freedom to shine.

   I think of the Statue of Liberty.  She holds a torch.  She is a symbol of our freedom to shine our light.  She is me.  She is you.  She is our birthright.

   Thinking of freedom from another angle, I saw an interesting quote from Gandhi on a calendar my insurance agent sent me:  "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."  What a privilege it is to be able to make mistakes.  What would our world look like if we were not free to mess up? 

  I once read a novel in which a tyrannical space alien (yes, I'm a sci-fi geek) did not allow the people on board his ship to make mistakes.  If they did, he would send an animal with rather large teeth after them.  His people were not free because they could not afford to take chances or try anything new.  

   Fortunately for us, the opposite is true.  It's not only okay to make mistakes -- they're a cause for celebration!  Freedom means we can risk taking chances on many things -- friendships, quests, changes, and facing our fears.  We can lay aside our limited thoughts and any personal fiction we may have made up about not being free, and just try the new thing that we're inspired to do but are afraid of, ask God to come with us on the journey, and follow the guidance of Spirit.

  That's what I had to do in preparing to create "Celebrate Your Well-Being" (my first spiritual CD) especially since I didn't know where I would find thousands of dollars to record it.  Then I remembered my freedom and took a small step in faith.  (More on the CD creation story later.)

  Each time I remember my freedom in a situation, my thankfulness returns and I'm not stuck anymore.  That's why my song says, "Thank You for my freedom.  I accept it Now.  Amen."

Love and blessings,

India