We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

FREE'DOM, noun

1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious.

2. Particular privileges; franchise; immunity; as the freedom of a city.

3. Power of enjoying franchises.

4. Exemption from fate, necessity, or any constraint in consequence of predetermination or otherwise; as the freedom of the will.

LIB'ERTY, noun [Latin libertas, from liber, free.]

1. Freedom from restraint, in a general sense, and applicable to the body, or to the will or mind. The body is at liberty when not confined; the will or mind is at liberty when not checked or controlled. A man enjoys liberty when no physical force operates to restrain his actions or volitions.

2. Natural liberty consists in the power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature. It is a state of exemption from the control of others, and from positive laws and the institutions of social life. This liberty is abridged by the establishment of government.

- Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language, 1828

We place a high value on freedom in this country. Our Declaration of Independence promises us the unalienable right of liberty. And yet, looking at the definition of liberty - freedom from constraint - is this a reality in any of our lives? We are constrained by societal “norms.” By cultural and religions morays. We are constrained by ever burgeoning laws, regulations and rules imposed upon us by nations, states, cities, HOAs, and every other organized layer of society that we subscribe to.

Either willingly or unwittingly, we relinquish our autonomy by acquiescence to the comfort of a :civilized” world. There are constraints everywhere. Are we every truly free?

Even if we cast off all societal restraint and lived in an anarchic state, as long as we have human connections, we will never be completely without constraint. The love we bear for others constrains us to certain behaviors. Or at least the ones of us with any moral compass. As parents, we dedicate our lives to jobs we don’t love and tasks we don’t enjoy for the betterment and survival of our children. As lovers we forgo certain self indulgences to shelter the partner we have chosen. As children we learn to respect others and offer deference to our parents and elders in the community. All constraints, and most self-imposed. So are we really free?

Reading through the definitions of freedom and liberty, one difference stands out. Freedom is lack of CONstraint imposed by outside forces, whereas liberty is lack of self-imposed REstraint. interesting that Jefferson and his cronies promised us liberty in the declaration, and not freedom. An unalienable right to decide for ourselves what holds us back. To choose our own restraints. To restrict ourselves based on our own, individual moral directives, beliefs and values. Which leads logically to the necessity of religious liberty. Any mandated belief system is an immediate violation of liberty.

It is also interesting to note that there is no downside, or negative version of freedom, while the concept of liberty can be abused and have a negative connotation. Release from the constraint of outside forces is always good - it provides the opportunity for self-governement. Abandonment of self-imposed morals (i.e a lack of self-government) can have a destructive and deadly end.

Is freedom indulgence or responsibility to you? Is liberty something you abuse or harness for maximum effectiveness? Your actions tell the story. Use the gift of freedom and the right of liberty well. Be the change you want to see in this country, in your community, in your own life and relationships. In the words of Scott Avett, “Free is not your right to choose,” it’s the ability to move through life with only the restraints you place upon yourself based on what you value.

We celebrate liberty in this land only because so many before us relinquished their own freedom to answer the call to serve. So many of our best Americans willingly submitted to constraints in order to protect liberty worldwide. What will you do with your liberty? I want to be worthy of the warriors who have sacrificed their own freedom for mine. I want to choose the constraints and impose the self-restraint that will make this world the best possible place for the ones I love.

“ I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6:8