This week I’ve been thinking a lot about freedom, having finally gained some freedom from my irrational attachment to alcohol. I recalled a movie scene that struck an emotional chord the first time I saw it (my eyes were tearing up and wide open). It was from a sort of dumb movie, Ella Enchanted, and I was watching it “under the influence.” I was in the throes of my addiction to alcohol. The main character, Ella, had a spell cast on her as a child that made her 100% obedient to whatever people asked of her. She suffered abuse and other problems because of the spell and felt powerless against it. In this scene, she’s ordered to kill the handsome Prince that she has fallen in love with and has a dramatic conflict between her will and the spell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l24yOwR9saU

That look on her face when she says, “I’m free. I can't believe it. I’m free,” really struck me. It was like, “I always wanted to be free, but never thought it would actually happen. Now what?” A recent story in the news was also apropos – a man who spent “most of his adult life in prison” decided, after spending a bit of time free after release, that he’d rather just go back to prison.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/1 ... 76490.html

You can see where I’m going with this. I think it’s pretty common for alcoholics and drug addicts to want to be sober year after year and, when they finally get free, often look around for a hole they can crawl back into. I was speaking with a co-worker recently about her alcoholic husband who recently stopped drinking “cold turkey.” She says that he doesn’t like it so much because now he’s “got to get his sh*t together and doesn’t like that.” The “disease” of addiction can be a crutch for so many of us, giving us endless excuses to not do this or that.

Anyway, I remember in some class I took once a distinction between “freedom from” and “freedom to.” Freedom has to be about more than being un-enslaved from an external force (whether that be a drug or a tyrannical government). To have any value, freedom must allow us to become more, to do more, and to live life to the fullest.

Freedom from…spending countless hours thinking about drinking, freedom to…pursue other interests and expand your mind.
Freedom from…hangovers and morning time depression, freedom to…start off the day with a smile and be productive.
Freedom from…spending so much $$ on drinking, freedom to…use that money for self-improvement, hobbies, vacations.
Freedom from…emotional distance from family and friends, freedom to…develop relationships with the ones you love.
Freedom from…passing out on your partner and sexual dysfunction, freedom to…increase intimacy with your lover.
Freedom from... hospitalizations and a grim health future, freedom to…live a long, healthy life.

“What’s inside of you is stronger than any spell.”