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The Price of Freedom

Is our freedom free?

By Richard LewisPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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The Price of Freedom
Photo by Kristina V on Unsplash

Do we ever contemplate our freedom? Owning your own home, keeping a job, or nurturing a family, are some of the everyday blessings that many of us live in. Born in our 21st-century western world, we live in the fruits paid by generations before us. Freedom is never free. Real freedom always comes with a cost. There is a price to be paid. In 2019, the Free World came to a pause to remember and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. The events of June 6th, 1944 are arguably one of the most influential moments in modern history. Many people from various nations in the free world fought against the Nazi War Machine. They fought to liberate the world from tyranny, from evil, and from destruction. They gave up their lives to protect the many freedoms that you and I live and express today.

In remembrance, many of our local cinemas made an amazing gesture of commemoration and decided to provide special showings of the 1998 classic, Saving Private Ryan. A movie that captures all of the emotions as we follow the relentless pursuit of Private Ryan stuck deep behind enemy lines. Surrounded by the brutal reality of war, Cap. John Millar, starring Tom Hanks, leads his men into a near-impossible mission. A mission of uncertainty, pride, sacrifice, honour and courage that just oozes right off the screen. If you have never seen this movie, don't find time to watch it, make time! It is a sobering watch! You will not be disappointed! A little narrative spoiler ahead, Private Ryan’s three brothers have all been KIA’d (Killed in action) and Cap. John Millar’s mission is to bring Private Ryan home to his mother who has just lost three of her four sons.

The ‘never say never’ attitude set by the US Army to ensure Private Ryan's survival, the audacity of those who gave up their lives for his delivers a sobering message to us today. In the closing scene, Private Ryan soaks up the reality of their sacrifice. He cannot comprehend the cost, the destruction and the death of his comrades to ensure that he survived and got to go home. A cost and a sacrifice too great for him to fathom. Reinforcements arrive with men on the ground and planes in the air, Cap. John Millar speaks his last words with the overwhelmed Private Ryan, “...Earn this”. With state of the art cinematography, years later Ryan visits the grave of Cap. John Millar - with his family. He utters his life's conviction to his wife and questions if he had lived a good life deserving of the sacrifice of those who died for him. Did he earn his freedom by their sacrifice?

What a message for us all. The freedoms that we have and live with today were not given to us for free - it came with a cost on astronomical proportions. We, humans, love a story, we love to fantasise and engage with stories that can be emotionally connected. We want to see the good guys win and the hero to reign supreme. Cap. John Millar gave his life for Ryans, just like this, many people today do the same for us now. The closest ones around you may not be on a frontline looking down the sight of a rifle, however, the mothers and fathers that sacrifice their time and freedom so that you can have time and freedom! We owe it to those before us, we owe it for those right now. The kicker from this post is this: What are you doing with your freedom? Are you wasting it? I have decided to watch Saving Private Ryan once a year. Why? It reminds me of where we have come from and that I am immensely privileged to live today. The price should never be forgotten. I close with a quote from George Santayana:

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

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About the Creator

Richard Lewis

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