What Freedom Means To Me

"The land of the free and home of the brave."

As an American citizen, I've heard these words so many times they've lost meaning to me. I always hear them and picture a soldier staring into the distance with an American flag waving behind him as a trumpet blares the national anthem.

But ironically enough, it wasn't until I left my home country that I found what it means to be from the land of the free and home of the brave.


Freedom is walking arm-in-arm down the wharf wailing High School Musical tunes at the top of your lungs, careless of the stares.

Freedom is getting milkshakes at 9 AM and gulping down the entire thing, even though you were never really hungry in the first place.

Freedom is staying up with your friends until 1 AM watching a movie that everyone hates, but you're enjoying the company too much to turn it off.

Freedom is flirting with a stranger because there's nothing to lose and you can become that version of yourself you've always wanted to be.

Freedom is being able to put work on hold for the day because the sun is shining and there's so much to explore. 

Freedom is jumping into the ocean fully clothed, just because you can.

Freedom is playing a rainbow piano by the pier with your colorful hair blowing in the salty breeze.

Freedom is going for a swim in the middle of the night, even though you have somewhere to be in the morning, because when else will you get this opportunity?

Freedom is living the life you've always dreamed about because the only thing stopping you is yourself.

As the loud, rambunctious, crazy American students dance through the city, they are met with raised eyebrows (and sometimes cameras) and maybe a disapproving side-eye here and there. But they also get some good smiles out of the people they pass, because they remind them of the freedom to live life and love it. They don't care what people think, they are there to seize every second of their beautiful lives, loud and proud.

They are from the land of the free, and they are brave enough to bring that piece of home with them everywhere they go.

Wellington, New Zealand

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