Bilal Javed 

English 1102 E115 

Professor: Sarah Schmerler 

Freedom is a state of mind 

Freedom is birth right to every person in my opinion. What is freedom? One might ask this question throughout different times in their life.Once I read somewhere, saying freedom is a state of mind. There was picture of bird in an open cage next it. That got me thinking that we define our own happiness and freedom. Moreover, it differs from scenarios.  We can control it just by putting restraints on our life. Sometimes restraints are the reason that bring out a passion of learning in people. So, one can argue that freedom is self-defined.  I would give certain examples from my personal and professional life experience that will explain how freedom or restraints are self-defined by a person.  

Freedom is knowledge and being able to do my own stuff to me. As I will explain as follow.4 years and 8 months ago, I was back home in Pakistan. I grew up in a small city called Wazirabad. You could drive around that city in 20 minutes on a motorcycle. There was not much to do. Yet I was not allowed to leave my city. I was 17 years old. All of my friends would visit bigger cities close by and do fun things. I felt envious of them because my parents were over protective. There were some good perspectives to it. But to me It felt like I was in prison. I had to find a way to channel my spare time. I spent most of my time using computer for gaming. As it turned out because of games. I had acquired a new skill of typing, computer hardware and software. I did not realize that up until I was required to perform a task required typing in my class. On that way when I was standing in my class only one with knowledge of technology. I had a strange feeling. This was a feeling of self-accomplishment. This was the feeling of freedom. Because I did not have to rely on someone to my task for money. I did not have to wait. all along I was looking for a feeling of being allowed to travel as a freedom. But as it turned out real freedom was being able to do my stuff on my own. 

Freedom is getting granted my rights. When I got to US, I was 17 years old. I had to support my family. Yet I was not legally allowed to work at that age. So, I took the first job I found on cash. I had to work on $50 a day for 11 hours every day. My job description included dealing with boxes that were heavy.  making space in a packed basement. And sometimes I had to take care of store owner’s home furniture jobs. Which were not part of job. I was supposed to be sales associate. I knew it was not legally right the way he was treating us. Sometimes he would make us stay 2 hours extra. There was no pay raise either. I felt trapped at that point. I wanted to leave but I had nowhere else to go. Also, I had to provide my family with financial support. As soon as I turned 18 I left that job for a job. That day I felt more free than ever. 

Freedom is being able to keep what I want to keep in my life. In my culture premarital dating in young age is seen as taboo. So, most people around their adolescence years consider freedom as being in a relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. Here is one such case of my friend. Thinking so he fell in love with this girl Samantha. He was happy in beginning. Thinking he is all free. He can do whatever he wants. But turned out the reality was different. His girlfriend was jealous type. She made him give up all his female friends at first. At this point he started to have a conflict with himself. Little did he know his feelings had become a prison for him. He was trapped in what he once thought was independence. He bared through this pain for a year. One day, she demanded of him to be disrespect his family and mother. At that moment his perspective changed, and he choose a freedom from that relationship. 

The point of these three events is to show that a person defines his/her own independence. Also, the case of relationship shows that person’s definition of freedom is changeable according to his/her life experiences. Yet I know some people who would find happiness; in scenarios where I felt imprisoned. In short, the meaning of freedom has changed a lot to me. However, at this moment, freedom is knowledge and independence of others to me.