Why fear freedom?

As I see it, even before 9/11, so many people seem to fear freedom. Whether it's hiding behind the latest fashion or moving into a gated community where the height of your hedges (and the color of you house and where you can have a vegetable garden) are all regulated for you, people flee freedom for the comfort of conformity through a complex system of rules.

Think about all the little rules that rule our lives. Take Seinfeld for example -- think of all those little rules of life that Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer encounter. "You must wear the ribbon," fellow Aides Walkers tell Kramer. Don't ask the soup nazi for bread. It goes on. But for the comfort of conformity, we love to adopt all these little rules that aren't imposed by government (as though there's not enough government laws and regulations!).

Conformity never has worked for me. At 6 foot tall, a girl can't hide behind the latest fashion to try to just fit in but not be noticed. I always stood out. So, now I embrace the freedom to be completely diffent from anyone else.

You don't need an awarkward past to enjoy freedom. Wear the cloths you enjoy wearing, even if it isn't always fashionable. Meet people outside your circle of friends and family and hear what they have to say. If you live in the city, visit the country. If you live in the suburbs, visit the city. One of the best things for me was visiting other countries and experiencing other cultures, other ways to dress, live and work. When you see other ways to live, over views of the world, other ways to dress, you now can "try on" other ways to live and think and see what best fits you.

We live in this country where you can do all this easily and freely, with no one asking you questions. You can't do that is Saudi Arabia or China or Iran or North Korea. But you can here in the US.

And don't listen to the voices of unnecessary conformity around you. Maybe you didn't know any better in high school, but once you're an adult, you gotta come out of that. You're not a kid anymore and you can decide for your self.

So, I say embrase freedom of expression, while we still have it!

Yours in liberty,
Rachy