“I feel like a caged tiger” said my husband the other day.
We were reflecting on how the past few weeks have felt for us as we have been in lockdown together and he talked about how he felt given that (in his words) “our freedom has been taken away from us”.
In that moment I realised that I didn’t feel like that. I understood what he meant but I just didn’t feel the same.
Whilst there are limitations on where I can go, what I can do and who I can be with right now I still feel free. I certainly don’t feel like a caged tiger!
I should say at this point that I have had moments over the past few weeks when I have felt a deep desire to get in my car, drive more than 5 minutes away and spend time with the people I love and can’t be with right now. I recognise that could be me experiencing having had my freedom taken away.
I have also had moments when I’ve felt like I am in that wonderful film “Groundhog Day” and have found myself replaying a similar routine and set of activities to the day before and wishing for more variety in my life. I recognise that could be experience as being like being caged in a life not of my choosing.
However, in the moment when my husband said those two phrases I realised that my sense of freedom comes from my state of mind. No matter what is going on on the outside, I can always feel free on the inside.
Our minds are incredible! If you take time to notice, they are creative, free spirited and expansive with the capacity to take you anywhere you want to go.
I can travel anywhere in the world through my memories of places I have been or to places I have yet to visit through my imagination. And all from the comfort of my own home. I don’t need to go anywhere or be with anyone else I can do it all right here where I am now.
How wonderful it is that my freedom and all that comes with it (sense of happiness, connection, inspiration, creativity, joy) is right here all the time. I don’t need to wait until lockdown is over to experience it. I don’t need to wait for the government to tell me it’s ok. I can go there right now and so can you.
So, where will you go?