Don’t be a Prisoner!

[air]

Scriptures often teach that we should not be a prisoner. What does it mean? Very often, we become prisoners to our own desires, our own cravings. We become prisoners to people who are very near and dear to us, why? When we let these people control our lives, we are at their whims and fancies. We become puppets in their hands. Every emotion that they throw upon us will hurt us only because we permit their emotions to control our reactions. We must learn in spiritual success not to be a prisoner to crave, to seek, to desire anything from anybody. We must learn to be independent because this independence gives us freedom, liberation that leads to enlightenment. When we are prisoner to a person, we have to accept any nonsense that the person says or does just because of our love. This affection can sometimes make us so weak. We become dependent because of our expectations from them. These expectations ruin our freedom to live with joy and peace. Otherwise, we are able to use our intellect to decide what is right and wrong, but due to a relationship, sometimes, we are unable to use our intellect to make the right decisions. The goal of life to have freedom and liberation not to be a prisoner, not to have expectations that let emotions imprison oneself into an emotional jail. This will lead to misery, sorrow and will never let one on the path of liberation.

AiR

[mojomojo]

If only they could realise they are prisoners,
stuck in a mindset belonging to another,
Fortified by the many,
with each other to keep in check,
Sentenced at times by themselves alone,
Though they come in many varieties, the bars are fundamentally made of fear.
It takes great courage to surrender all to God, to jump before you can see the safety net.
The heavy chains people carry with them everyday, only saddens a liberated heart.
Lives wasted by the guilt placed by another, people even live their lives, still seeking approval from those passed away.
The insanity of it all,
And on they trudge, totally oblivious,
With kind priestly words, their final gratitude.