Ask most people what they can’t live without and

“It’s easy,” they say, “food, water, air.” But

For me,

It’s not food, water, air.

It’s freedom.

Freedom to be who I want to be.

Freedom to believe in what I want to believe in.

Freedom to write, live, laugh, love.

Freedom!

Freedom.

 

Freedom to be who I want to be.

Something a lot of people seem to forget

They can do.

Everyone is obsessed with the trends,

Concerts,

Celebrities,

Technology.

But it’s all because that’s

What everyone else is doing. But

Me?

I’m obsessed with the ability to be me.

If I don’t want to buy the new designer jeans,

I don’t have to.

If I don’t want to go to the hottest summer music festival,

I don’t have to.

If I don’t want to know about the celebrities and the gossip and the technology,

I don’t have to.

Because

I am my own person.

And I have the freedom to be who I want to be,

Know what I want to know,

Have what I want to have.

 

Freedom to believe what I want to believe.

I can believe in god,

Or not.

I can believe in good music

That makes me feel good.

I can believe that cancer sucks,

Love is important,

Growing up is terrifying,

Freckles are a reminder of summers past,

Waiting for karma is better than seeking revenge,

Shooting stars are not just burning meteors,

You should make mistakes,

Manners are important.

But most of all, I can choose to believe

That anyone can make a difference in this world.

 

The freedom to write, live, play, and love.

I have the ability to pick up a pen

And start writing a poem,

Or a story,

Or a novel.

And not be criticized,

Or put down,

Or judged.

I can live the way I want to,

Because I want to.

I can go to college,

Make mistakes,

Sing in the shower,

Dance in the rain,

Sleep under the stars,

Be athletic,

Read a book.

I can laugh at a joke,

At a mistake I make,

At a book.

I can laugh until I cry,

Until my lungs are gasping for air,

Until my stomach aches,

Until people are staring.

But most importantly, I can love.

I can love animals,

People,

Books,

Nature,

The night sky,

Hot showers,

Education,

Music,

Travelling,

Life,

My future.

And I can love you.

 

Now you see, I could go on and on

About what I have the freedom to do.

But it still wouldn’t change the minds

Of those people that say,

“It’s easy; food, water, air.”

Because for them,

That’s all they know.

All they know is food, water, and air.

Me?

I know so much more.

And that is why I can sit here

And tell you that all I need

Is freedom.

Because with freedom, I have everything else.