Give us Free

           The movie Amistad was a great educating film.  One of the most memorable lines in the film for me was “Give us free.”  I was reminded of that line and the movie recently.
            I visited an uncle in prison a couple of weeks ago.  It was the first time I had ever been to a prison and the first time in several years I had seen him.  I was a little anxious.  I had no idea what to expect.
            When I first arrived and walked toward the entrance, I had to be buzzed in through two gates before even entering the prison.  I remember standing there for what seemed like an eternity after I rang the bell before I was allowed to enter.  And, it seemed to make sense to me that since I entered one gate, the next one would automatically open, or at least open quickly after I rang the bell.  No such luck.  I still had to wait longer than what I thought was necessary.
            I immediately concluded that I NEVER wanted to be in prison.  Okay, not that I had been contemplating a stay in the big house, but, those few minutes of being told when I could enter a place that was isolated with barbed wire fencing with no access to family or friends sealed the deal.
            My visit went well and then after leaving my I.D. and keys at the front desk, I collected those items and again, waited to be buzzed out of three different doors to leave.  “If you do the crime, then you have to do the time,” is a saying I have often heard.  But, what’s sad is many people are doing time and they don’t even know it.  Yes, many of us, at various times in our lives are in our own self made prisons.
            Anytime you allow another individual to control your happiness, that’s prison.  When you limit your goals because you think only certain groups of people can achieve certain things, that’s prison.  If you allow yourself to believe you deserve misery, a bad job, an abusive relationship, or fill in the blank by what’s limiting you, that’s prison. 
            It’s no fun to be locked up in a state or federal institution.  But for some, rehabilitation is possible, and they can reenter society as productive citizens.  I have a high school classmate who has done just that and is on a personal crusade to mentor others so they do not go down the same path he did.
            What’s crazy is to be a prisoner of your own self imposed limitations.  What’s absolutely insanity though, is to not even realize it.
            How many places in your life have you given away your freedom?  And, what are you willing to do to reclaim it?