I'm always hearing and reading of people writing about helping others to be free. Telling people to stop being a slave to others and create financial independence. Guess what? I'm one of those people, too. I know. Some people will say, "But, Scott. I am free. I can choose to do whatever I want." They are right.....to a point. They have freedom of choice but they have chosen to be slaves. Can you believe that anyone would do such a thing? Well, let's have a little history lesson.
In America, we had slavery at one time. Officially, it ended in the 1860's but it never really went away. It only changed. The old kind of slavery was physical. Slaves were kept in chains, kept illiterate, physically beaten as punishment. Today's slavery is more of an economic bondage. Slaves are kept in low paying jobs, credit debt, and barely educated to do their jobs.
Let me tell you a story about the slaves who suffered through physical bondage. Back then, a slave would wake up in the morning and have some strange feeling in the pit of their stomach. They weren't sick, just didn't feel right. Have you ever felt like that? Well, the slave couldn't quite determine what was wrong and so they went out for their day of work. Everyday, the same thing...the same feeling. Eventually, some slaves were able to repress that feeling, or to just deal with it as something that would never go away. Others, though, figured it out. What was that feeling inside of them? It was a small ember. A tiny flame...the flame of freedom burning within them. They KNEW they were meant to be free. Everyday they felt wrong because they were living wrong. And so, they ran away. But not being from America, they didn't know which way to go. What areas would be safe? These escaped slaves were easily caught and brought back for tortuous punishment. But did the flame die. NO!! Eventually, they learned of a place called the "north". A slave could be free in the north. So, they would escape again and head north. But where do you think the slave-catchers would be? Yep, hanging out north of the slave states. Again, slaves would be captured, returned and tortured.
Some slaves would slip through and gain their freedom, though. Out of those, some kept on going and never looked back. They had their freedom and all they wanted to do was make a new life. Others, however, felt a little guilty that they should be free while others still toiled for their masters. The freed men and women began going back south to help others escape safely. The use of certain roads and trails and farmhouses came to be known as the Underground Railroad. Now, the most famous freed person of the Underground Railroad was a little old lady named Harriet Tubman. When she, and others, would pick up another group of escapees she would lead them to freedom. But some escapees would start to have doubts...begin to second guess their choice. They would start to talk about how good they had it back at the master's place. "The master is going to be mad at me. But if I go back now, my punishment might not be so bad. I sure miss what little I had." As they would stop and turn to head back, they would go face to face with Harriet Tubman. She would tell them they weren't going back. The escapee would say yes they were. Back and forth, back and forth until it escalated. Now, being a petite old lady it was mostly a physical mismatch and when the escaped slaves would try to push their way past Harriet, she would pull out her pistol and put it right up against the head of the slave wanting to go back. You see, going back would mean the slave would be tortured until they gave up all the secrets of the Railroad. For the greater good, nobody could return once they set out for freedom. So, Harriet would tell the escapee, "You're either going forward or you're going down. But you ain't going back."
What does all this have to with you here in the modern day. Well, you are either an economic slave or you are an escapee. For those of you who have escaped and found freedom, you may be trying to help others do the same. You have found a way, a system to create your freedom. And you have to have that same toughness with people that you are helping that Harriet Tubman had. There must be no going back. And for those of you who wake up everyday with that horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach as you tumble out of bed to get dressed for that job of yours, well now you know what that feeling is. The flame of freedom. It's calling you. It's burning a hole inside of you...creating discomfort, wanting you to act on it. You need to start finding your personal Underground Railroad....your ticket to financial freedom. And when you start thinking about quitting, turning back, saying how good you had it with the little bit that your master gave you every two weeks, go to the mirror and fix your hand in the shape of a gun and put it to your head and tell yourself...."You're not going back. Ever!" Escape from your corporate master and run away from your cubicle plantation as fast as you can. Only then will you be able to live the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr......Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty. I am free, at last!!
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