Be A Free Soul

5 Jul

“The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it — basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.”  ~ Charles Bukowski

Oftentimes, people here the term “free spirit” or “free soul” bandied about.  They often think of a free spirit as a person who is carefree, who has no responsibilities and does whatever is desired.  That is not true.  A free soul is a person who has achieved a higher degree of maturity and emotional stability than others.  This maturity and emotional stability is often based upon confidence and independence.

The person spoken of as a free soul is usually thought about as someone solidly based in the world.  This person gets around with ease, cultivating relationships with others who contribute to the person’s confidence.  However, a free soul can also be spoken of in the spiritual sense.  Would we not apply the definition of “free soul” to any of our great saints?

Those saints whom we admire had higher degrees of maturity and emotional stability than most of the people around them.  They were solidly grounded in confidence and independence because they had a strong conviction that God was walking with them, that God had given them their calling, and that God would be with them in times of need.

Their reliance upon God made them at the very same time extremely independent.  They were able to speak their minds without worrying about what others would think or say.  They could challenge prince or pauper, pope or lay person, president or citizen.  They respected the feelings and plights of others but they placed God as the highest focal point in their lives and were even willing to give up their lives if necessary.

This kind of talk might make some people uncomfortable because, deep within, we know that we are all called to be this kind of free soul.  Our relationships with God should be so pure and complete that we could go out confidently into our world and proclaim the Good News.  We are uncomfortable because we know that, while we should be that kind of person, we often are not.

There is hope for us, though.  Each day of our lives we have the chance to begin anew.  Are we going to be a free soul or a slave to the world?  Think about that for awhile.

FAITH ACTION:  Be confident is God’s love and presence in your life and live confidently so that you may point the way to God for others who might not be so sure of His presence and love.