Define "Freedom."

I was going to stay far away from this topic.

Freedom is so many things to me. Having the right to speak, the right to be healthy, to be who you want, to do with your body what you choose, to love whomever your heart desires and having the right to have that love be recognized.

I don't know how to define it. But I feel like it should make you happy.

Take for example this friend of mine . . .

This friend had dated this person and it just wasn't working out. So they cooled things, but remained friends. It wasn't long before they decided to give it another go. But this person did not want to commit to my friend.

That's not necessarily a bad idea, of course. They're both young and have plenty of time for such things.

Then they were hanging out all the time. Going on trips together. Neither wanted to date anyone else. Neither had time. And yet still this person wouldn't allow for them to be called a couple.

Somehow the pressure of this all built to a point last night and they decided to give up again. When my friend told me about it today, I was surprised by the lack of emotion. My friend wasn't all that bothered by it.

In fact, my friend seemed in a super great mood. I think my friend was finally unburdened and could breathe.

That's an example of freedom. Not because my friend is now completely single, but because they could breathe.

There you go. Freedom is feeling like you can breathe.