Sunday, April 22, 2012

Your Majesty

Not what I have, but what I do is my kingdom.

Thomas Carlyle
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Hello Bruce
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This is the one thousand, seven hundred and twenty third (1,723) edition of Vagabond Journeys. Some of them were lost in the great computer crash of 2006 but most of those were recovered. Others have been recycled, retooled and reedited. What have you been doing lately Vagabond?

I write everyday because I wrote yesterday and I usually have something to say of varying degrees of importance and of arguably suspicious literary skill. But what do I do the rest of the time, you ask?

Okay, you didn't ask. But I'll tell you. I paint, I fret, I read, I worry, I answer emails, I do something to try to organize my still chaotic apartment, I listen to music, I fanaticize, I feed myself, I IM with Sue or Krissy, I go for long painful walks to the market, I dream, I plan. It's a life. It's not that unlike many other people's lives. But it's my life.

If you had to give up your possessions what would you miss the most? Your clothes, your books, you pictures? What about your freedom? That is probably the most valuable possession you have. The freedom to work and earn money, to pursue happiness, to live the way you want to, to raise a family, to be involved in causes you believe in, to worship, to hold opinions and express them, those gold and silver coins of your realm are some of the sacred freedoms civilization owes to civilized people who don't try to destroy it.

Freedom of expression is of particular importance to me. It is quite likely the greatest possession I have. It is not only vital to my being it is what I do, and have done 1,723 times so far. I can't imagine what my life would be like if some potency emerged to prevent me from writing, from painting, from expressing my thoughts and feelings, from doing what I do, from reigning safely and supremely in my kingdom

I say take stock of your possessions, of the innumerable things you do, the things you do today because you did them yesterday, the things that for you are the most important to be done and let those things be the measure of your royalty.

Dana Bate - Vagabond Journeys
Never Give Up
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4 comments:

Ken Riches said...

Sometimes I look forward to just plain down time...

Rubye Jack said...

This is nice.
I've only just recently found freedom and I love having it more than anything else.

pacifica62 said...

Freedom is something many of us take for granted till we don't have it anymore....not enough money, not enough time, too sick, too many responsibilities and sometimes we give away our freedom as well in being involved in relationships that are not healthy nor good for us. Freedom for me is exhilerating and a treasure worth far more than a chest full of royal jewels.

Arlene (AJ) said...

Freedom is a blessing for all of us who have learned to think and do for yourself over what others think you should do and get upset if you don't follow their directions of life. Thankfully I've always been able to decide what is best for....I'll listen to your thoughts, but only I know me.