Thursday, March 13, 2014

Freedom

What does freedom look like? I think that's an age old question that everyone has a different answer to. For Americans it means we can choose whatever religion we want and to say whatever we want. For others it's as simple as living off the land, or off-grid. You're probably wondering why I'm bringing this up, right?
Well, I'm living free. Well with more freedom than just a few days ago. Why? Because we are out of debt. Yep, we had 40K of medical and educational debt like a lot of Americans. I'll be honest I'm sure you've read some of those stories on Yahoo about families going to the extreme to pay off debts or a family using one income to pay down the debt. We've never had two incomes, we've never made a lot of money and we never had family to help us pay things off. It took a lot of hard work, sacrificing and learning to live without as a family but it was all worth it.


And now that we're free and relatively young, mid-thirties, we can spend the rest of our lives living the lifestyle we want not only for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren (when they come). If there is one lesson I can take out of this event is to be resourceful. Sometimes things can get done with just blood and sweat while others need communication.

Is there an event in your life that gave you a sense of freedom?

3 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Congratulations, Mae! That is a real accomplishment!!! I think my freeing event is coming up later this year when I will have my house, my life (schedule) to myself. I will be living alone for the first time in 20 years and although I will still write, I'll have no other source of income outside of retirement.

maepen said...

Congratulations Judith! That's a huge step. I can't wait to be living with just my husband and I. We had one year by ourselves before kids and now my parents. I can't wait to read all the wonderful stories you'll be producing. :)

Diana McCollum said...

My big freeing event was retiring from my job and moving to Central Oregon. I still get up early, 6:00, but when I worked I got up at 4:30 am because I had an hour long commute. Now I have the time to hit the gym three mornings a week and then write!