What Does "Be Free" Mean to You?

by Carole Vickie Pilcher

     Be Free . . . what do those words mean to you? To me they call for a universal freedom, a freedom that we all can be part of, when we are all one and we live with one another in peace and harmony. This may be an idealistic world view but it is one I hold very closely to my heart and pray that one day mankind will see this universal freedom. Where the world in which we all live and are very much part of accept every person for who they are no matter what limitations or cultural differences each person may have.

     I wrote Be Free at a very difficult time in my life. I was struggling to find my usual optimistic and sunny outlook no matter how hard I tried. My son who had been struggling with various learning difficulties since he was very small started to have more physical symptoms. The doctors discovered at the age of 14 that he had been born with brain damage which had gone undetected and they proceeded to outline the worst case scenario of what his life could be like the older he got.  After years of being told anything from his difficulties were due to laziness, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autistic spectrum disorder the list went on; this was a huge bolt out of the blue and something I hadn’t even considered.

     I remember looking at my beautiful son and feeling despair, despair at his plight, at my difficulty in coping with it and also the difficulty the outside world seemed to have accepting him.  I felt so alone, afraid to share my innermost thoughts with anyone, the fear of others judging my inability to cope made me feel very vulnerable. So I did what comes naturally and picked up my pen.

     As always when I write I find my centre, my own inner voice that speaks loudly and finds its way onto the page in front of me. I reason with myself and often find a pathway that leads from the darkness to the light. Do I find answers? No not necessarily, but I find strength, an inner strength I often forget I possess. This strength gains momentum the more I write and I start to see the upside of a situation. Many of my poems have been written in moments of despair or anger but within a few short verses those feelings begin to subside as my clouds start to become less leaden. The strength I gain leads me in the direction I need to proceed to find the answers I so desperately crave. 

     Be Free speaks of a place, a place we can escape, somewhere to visit where we will find some peace, this place is within every one of us. This is our own inner sanctum, somewhere we can commune with our Higher Selves and in doing so each one of us can learn so very much about who we are and where our pathway may be leading us. Often that pathway is fraught with difficulty, but if we look closely we will be able to find our way forward and gain much from the lessons we have learnt. I know without a doubt that many of my darkest moments have transpired to be cornerstones in my earthly and Spiritual foundation I now reflect upon and draw incredible wisdom from these points of absolute clarity, not only to help myself, but to hopefully help others.  

     It has been about eighteen months since I wrote Be Free, and I now look back and a smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. I have learnt so much, not just about my son, but about me, my family, my friends and my life. What I thought was the beginning of the end has turned out in reality to be the beginning of something wonderful for my son. The eventual diagnoses that seemed so dreadful at the time has turned out to be a wonderful step forward. He has been able to access education that is tailored for his needs. In turn along with a new positive learning environment he has made great strides in his life, enabling him to move forward with confidence and even left doctors scratching their heads. His life is now so much richer than before, his smile is permanent and his joy is infectious. As a family we have found more peace.

     Nothing will ever come along and cure my son; he will never get better or gain entry to a top university. This I know and completely accept and I also accept that some days life are difficult and I cry silent tears for him wish for nothing more other than he "fits in" and has a great social network. But I know in my heart that him and thousands of others like him across our planet who are labelled as ‘special needs’ are indeed very special. They are messengers sent from Spirit to show that each and every one of us are unique in every way and that our inner beauty shines like a radiant sun. They have a heart that is so full of love to give every person they meet. I have learnt much from my son and his compassion for all people, even those who can’t accept him just the way he is. I hope that one day we will all have to ability to Be Free and in doing so seeds of hope will be sown across our world.


                                                                                                    —30—

Be Free

What will I do? Where will I go from here?
Do I just wait for someone to dry my tears?
Will the pain ever leave my wounded heart?
Will I ever be able to once again start?

The future doesn’t seem incredibly bright
When I know that I have such an immense battle to fight
Do I keep my thoughts buried deep?
Or do I confess that I am finding the hill to steep?

My mind is a treacherous thing
Negative thoughts it brings
Again and again I try to find my way out
Not really sure what it’s all about

I can’t seem to pick myself back up
I need a change of luck
To turn myself around
Get my feet back on solid ground

But where do I look to first?
I can’t stop fearing the worst
I need something that will help me to see
Something that enables me to set my mind free

I want, just for a minute to leave it all behind
To be free from the constraints of mankind
To wander through the wilderness
With no other problems that press

To breathe in the beautiful clean air
To be able to be without care
To find myself upon a cloud taking a ride
And just because I want to down a rainbow slide

To sing with the whistle of the wind
To still see when Mother Earth’s lights are dimmed
To feel the water run through my fingers
Just to be able for a little while to linger

To be in a place where nothing is feared
And to have such love so abundant, so near
To know my actions are not judged
Where along my pathway I am gently nudged

To see the pattern of what has gone before
And to see what is yet to beseech our door
To be able to understand why
Some things have to happen to make us cry

So that we can truly understand 
What for us has been planned
Is only what we need to experience to learn
And with each one strength and courage we will earn

Making our journey easier to bear
Each battle won we gain another feather in our hair
Another string to our bow is a good thing
And can only with it wisdom bring

I wished to be taken to another place
If only for a moment to touch base
But I realize that I can go there any time
And that tranquillity I will find

For it is just a whisper away
Always there, night and day
I can travel there as often as I please
Everything there for me to see

All I have to do is open my eyes
And see the eagle as it fly’s
Allowing the wind to take it in the direction it blows
I am sure that where it will end up it doesn’t know

But faith, the mighty bird does possess
Nothing more, nothing less
It will find its way whichever way the wind doth blow
The new direction sometimes needed in order to grow

My life right now seems to be troubled
And my fair share seems to have been doubled
But now I know I can visit my special place
And find the strength for my troubles to face

For the world in which we live
Has everything we need in order to give
Either to others who need a shoulder on which to lean
Or to ourselves to reach our goals, fulfil our dreams

The strengths I gain I have yet to find
The question of what to do still occupies my mind
I am sure it will in days to come
But I need to pick up the ball and with it run

To see where this latest journey will take my feet
And what challenges upon it I will meet
As long as I keep my head held high
And learn to let go when I need a good cry

My strength and love will help me find my way
My resolve, I am sure will win the day
When I reach the place I meant to be
I hope the lesson learned, I will see

My mission here is to pass on the lessons I learn
And to help others understand when it’s their turn
That the life we live is filled with what we need
To enable us to spread the word, sow new seeds

Linked together to the Great Spirit making us one
All walking together under the same sun
Finding along the way love, peace and harmony
For, you, me, them and us, we are all indeed family

My vision of what one day will eventually be
Is that our spirit will be able to run free
Our ego will be a thing of the past
No longer over us a shadow to cast

Working together for the good of everyone here
No famine, greed, poverty, war, violence or fear
The beauty of our Mother Earth shall unfold
Then we will see the true riches she does hold

I have faith that my world is as it should be
Even though at the moment I can’t see the wood for the trees
But the sun will eventually shine through
Unveiling truths that deep down I already knew

Applying the lessons is what I must do
To myself be honest and unreservedly true
Helping others to gain their sight
All joining together so our future is bright

My troubles are a drop in the ocean compared to some
But every single one I overcome
Will prepare me for my road ahead
Equip me for the path I am intended to tread

So join me in seeing our world as it should be
It will not be easy, this I agree
But TOGETHER we can live in the world I spoke of before
And like the eagle, to new heights we will soar

Link hands and hearts with everyone
Try to forgive, I know this isn’t easily done
Reach out to those in need
Learn from mans lessons about hate and greed

One act of kindness that each of you sow
If passed on, can you imagine how that will grow?
One single candle can penetrate the night
Giving many who couldn’t see the gift of sight

Picking someone up when they fall down
Throwing a lifebelt if someone is about to drown
All these acts have the potential to be passed on
By anyone, no matter whom you are or where you’re from

Making our world a better place to live
The simple act of loving and learning how to give
My vision in this lifetime I may not see
But our children will pick up our legacy and hopefully one day BE FREE

                                                                                      —30—