What does FREEDOM mean to me?

Freedom is a very sawn-off word for this world I think. Everyone has their own booklet of terms and conditions, when it comes to feeling free. For a farmer, freedom might be his/her desire to expand his/her land to neighboring regions. For a street dancer, freedom might be a desire to present art freely without any judgment of gossiping eyes. For a high school student, freedom might be a pathway to choose the right future without any family pressure. So, when someone is asking what freedom means to me, I also have my brief dictionary, which carries all my past experiences and visionary approaches that created a whole differently contextual definition of this seven-letter-word!

I always adored my grandfather, not because he loved me more than all my siblings(don’t tell them!!), but for his lessons of freedom. He taught me how to be free and independent for taking my own decisions. And his formulation was not textual. Not at all. He just pretended to be a part of the lesson. Back then, I didn’t even notice those actions, but now I know, he was just preparing me for the best. He let me travel solo. He sent me away from home so that I can pursue the best education. He told me how to be inquisitive everyday. He made me realize my worth infront of all judgmental relatives. And those small acts of eventually-building-big-plans made me who I am now. 

So yes, for me, Freedom starts with Family! 

As I am experiencing adulting, this idea of freedom becomes more comprehensible to common people around. Earlier I used to think, I can walk with a devil-may-care attitude and no one should bother me - If I have the freedom! But now in reality, I strongly believe, freedom teaches you how to be REsponsible. Because freedom is a power and you must have heard - “With great power comes great responsibility”. 

So for me, if I want freedom, I have to be accountable for what I do and what I don’t do. 

Once you become an amenable person, you will eventually become Efficient. You start to learn productive work and block the misconception of exaggerating excuses. Being a woman, I was always told to manage my personal and professional life like a pro. I was told by the society to do the mundane chores before even fixing the production bugs. But no one told me to balance the work among the fellow housemates and don't overburden yourself. 

So for me, handling time and people efficiently should be a freedom-worthy-trophy to brag about, in front of a patriarchal race. 

Sometimes in life, we need to make decisions amidst the deadly chaos happening around. Sometimes we need to pacify the loss we took for granted. Sometimes we need to grow as a person. And all these can be done if you Dare to follow your heart. There’s always a small piece of advice, humming back in your mind not to do the tough path. But tell me, is it ok not to choose a rugged decision, just because you are not comfortable? 

So for me, choosing the right energy and daring to take tiny steps one at a time, make me more substantial.

I am learning my way to Artificial Intelligence these days, and let me tell you, there are innumerable instances where I can write technical stuff relating to common lives. But one main thing that I noticed is how Observant every model/parameter has to be, to predict the precise results for this real world. Whether it is about machine learning dealing with abundant data or the vast generative AI (such as ChatGPT), everything is dependent on observing little details. If there will be minor distraction, you won’t get the expected output. Similarly I believe, human brains should show quick and keen perception. Your situation always varies with time, and you should pay attention, otherwise you will fall into the trap of low esteem just like the story we heard of an elephant stuck forever with a rope, even after growing up! I remember 15 years back, I was not confident enough to talk fluently with people, but I think with experience, I now know how to deal with them. That’s a winning badge for me, for growing eventually.

So for me, monitoring and supervising self with time is the right kind of freedom.

Rise up and shine, like everyday is a brand new day with spare 86400 seconds of lifeline. Use it with your open mind. And don’t lose hope if you fail in one battle. Learn from them (just like reinforcement learning does for AI) and proceed with your next move. I have read somewhere a quote, stated by Mahatma Gandhi -  “ Freedom is not worth having if it doesn’t include the freedom to make Mistakes”. This is a crucial fact to accept. Making mistakes is the sign of development.

So for me, freedom makes me self-assured, so that I won’t repeat the same error.

I am just a small part of this world, carrying my customized beliefs and knowledge. You are also free to opt what you like, what you desire, what you dream. But never judge your freedom. 

Aazad ho, aazad rehna sikho!