No Dominion

Pervading nationalism imposes its dominion on man today in many different forms and with an aggressiveness that spares no one. The challenge that is already with us is the temptation to accept as true freedom what in reality is only a new form of slavery. Pope John Paul II

You are free. Never forget this. Regardless of how you feel, what you have been taught, or how you have been treated- you are free. The chains of this world are challenges to move around, jump over, break through, or accept; and in all this you are free.

Your government has no dominion over you. It may seem as though it does, and it may succeed in cutting you down; but you are free nonetheless.

Your family has no dominion over you. They may entice you into submission using fear, and you may feel obligated to allow them to dictate your life; but you are free nonetheless.

Your employer, your significant other, your friends, and your co-workers do not have dominion over you. You may feel caged or controlled by all of these people; but you are free nonetheless.

God, the universe, has no dominion over you. We have free will. You are free to live your life the way you believe is right. There will be consequences, good and bad; but you are free nonetheless.

These entities (government, family, employer and God) are not here to take control or exercise dominion. They are here to organize, empower, and create a space allowing a sense of being. As humans, we have entrusted certain aspects of our lives to a larger entity for the greater good; and often blame this larger entity when anything goes wrong. People are quicker to remit control to another, or take control of another, than they are to take control of themselves. It's an incredible global display of passive aggression and aversion to self-responsibility. Well, joke's on us, because we are the only people responsible for our own lives.

You have no dominion over others. You may create boundaries and rules; but others are free to disregard them. You may try to manipulate, or impose your will upon someone; but they are free to renounce such efforts. We are responsible for our children, our animals, our weak, and our Earth; but even they are still free.

I am the only one who can control me. You are the only one who can control you.

Too often, we confuse responsibility with dominion; and far more often, we feel "responsible" for things we are not. Our history holds cycle after cycle of domination: The Holy Wars, Manifest Destiny, forced assimilation, Proselytism, Gentrification, Gerrymandering... it is like watching a GIF of a dog humping another dog over and over again, except it's not funny. Do some humans divide and conquer, dominate, manipulate, and attempt to control others because they are compensating for their own lack of self-control? Their lack of willingness to take responsibility for themselves? Furthermore, do some humans remit control, submit, and become complacent for the same reason? With freedom comes the greatest responsibility- one's self. Taking control over one's own life may be liberating; but it is also daunting.

As daunting as it is, you are free. You are free to live your life the way you believe to be right. You are free to suffer the consequences of your actions, good or bad. You are free to move around, jump over, break through, or accept the challenges before you. You are free to disallow others to control you, because they have no dominion.