Freedom (la libertad) is something that almost everyone hopes to have in their lives and this can be manifested in multiple ways (en muchas maneras), such as freedom of speech, freedom of choice and freedom of religion. Freedom can be expressed in many ways as well, in the manner in which you dress (vestirse), in the type of music and entertainment you prefer or in the choices that are available (disponible) in a restaurant or shopping center. Having grown up in the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave (casa de los valientes), freedom has been a constant and unwavering characteristic of my entire life.
Yet, with freedom also comes the ideas of the price (el precio) by which that freedom was purchased or garnered over time. By that, I mean that freedom itself is an ideal, and to be able to live (vivir) free is both a priveledge and an honor, something that not all societies can claim or express. For me, freedom has come through a legacy (un legado) of my own family, relatives (los parientes) who have served in the aimed forces and people who have participated in conflicts around the globe and throughout the ages. For example, in my own immeditate family (en mi familia), my grandfather (mi abuelo) participated in World War I, my father (mi padre) fought for freedom in World War II and my brother (mi hermano) was engaged in the conflict in Viet Nam. With current military engagements in the Middle East and with thousands (miles) of troops deployed overseas, the cost of maintaining freedom at home continues to be paid for us all.
Living in a foreign country also presents a unique perspective (una perspectiva única) on the idea of freedom, as being free in a society also implicitely implies that one understands the boundaries (los limites) of that freedom and the rules by which freedom is particioned. I mean, real freedom implies choice, an ability to relocate (trasladar), to redefine (redefinir) or to reinvent (reinventar) oneself, depending on your dreams and goals, your personal direction and beliefs (las creencias). In Chile, the freedom is often expressed in the way one can move about the ecountry, changing location and climate zone, mixing with new people in wonderfully unique locations, such as the deserts of Antofogasta, the lakes (los lagos) of Chiloé, or the hustle and bustle of the metropolis of Santiago. Chile offers a lot of choice, and hence, a lot of freedom, soemthing that has also been fought for and won over throughout the centuries (los siglos) of its existence.
Freedom is also a state of mind, to be free is to be unburdened, to be light (ligero) in this world, to hold things loosely, knowing that eventually all things fade away and become dust, including you and me. This is not something to despair (perder las esperanzas), but something to embrace (abrazar), to recognize that the liberties we enjoy, whether they be the freedom to travel, to vote or to choose our path (nuestro comino) in life can be facilitated in the spirito of freedom only if you have the guts to live free in spirit (en espíritu) and mind.
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