What freedom really means

It bothers me a lot when people throw out statements about freedom being taken away with regards to COVID-19 mandates, because to me it shows a very narrow-minded view on the world we all live in.

Let’s all take a moment to focus on the Ukraine/Russia conflict that’s dominating everyone’s news feeds. Where nearly two million innocent people have been forced to flee their homes, and are now political refugees seeking asylum.

Where farmers, tradesmen, bus drivers, anyone and everyone is picking up a rifle and putting their lives on the line to protect their homeland senseless attack.

That’s a real example of having your freedom taken away.

Here’s the thing, as human beings, I don’t think we’re instinctively programmed to think about the world that exists in our periphery . We all focus on the problems that are right in front of us in our day to day lives. We live in our little bubble and take how we perceive the world as reality. Opening up your thoughts and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes subconsciously is one of the most difficult things a person can do.

I understand the frustrations that many have gone through over the course of the pandemic. It’s been a trying time, and there are a lot of divided opinions out there.

But to anyone who thinks they aren’t living in a free country, I ask you, if you were to offer to switch lives right now with any one of those Ukrainians who have been forced out of their home, how many of them would say no?

The problem with throwing the word freedom around is that when there are people in this world who actually aren’t free in their own countries, I feel it can be a dangerous rhetoric to use.

Life is about perspective, and in the grand scheme of things, there are a lot of people on this planet that are living in a constant state of real fear for the lives of themselves and their families.

So the next time you want to complain about vaccine mandates taking away your freedoms to eat at a restaurant, all I ask is that you try to take some time to have some perspective about the rest of the world, and hopefully you’ll realize how lucky we all are to be living in a country like Canada.

Food for thought.