No Freedom in Distraction by J Warren

Updated: Apr 11, 2021

Freedom.
 

 
Liberating ones self
 

 
from the agonizing
 

 
strain towards an unachievable
 

 
“perfection.”
 

 
Without it you are left with
 

 
distraction.
 

 
It is what takes the king
 

 
and makes him a slave
 

 
to his devices.
 

 
It is what takes the queen
 

 
and forces her
 

 
to discard her self-worth.
 

 
Distraction.
 

 
The destruction of freedom.
 

 
Limiting ourselves
 

 
to a system that does nothing
 

 
but destroys.
 

 
Destroys the inner child,
 

 
holding him captive
 

 
with chains of debt and obligation.
 

 
Grabbing the hand of the builder
 

 
and forcing her to ignore
 

 
her dreams of creating
 

 
unless she does so by his standards,
 

 
and for his benefit.
 

 
It is all an empty distraction.
 

 
A distraction from freedom.
 

 
We were all placed here
 

 
on this plane
 

 
to live.
 

 
We are here to create
 

 
and build
 

 
and share.
 

 
And yet we allow our brethren
 

 
to tell us how to live,
 

 
what makes life worthwhile
 

 
and how much life is worth
 

 
as if life is something
 

 
to be bought and sold.
 

 
And we allow it.
 

 
All on account of distraction.
 

 
The shiny things.
 

 
The things that make us
 

 
feel
 

 
as though we are worth it.
 

 
The “likes” and “requests,”
 

 
the messages in our dms,
 

 
the double taps
 

 
all are so gratifying, right?
 

 
Yet, what have we gained
 

 
at the end?
 

 
What have we built once it’s done?
 

 
What can we then pass to our children?
 

 
“Oh the people loved me.”
 

 
No love,
 

 
they loved the idea of you.
 

 
Loving you is granting you freedom.
 

 
Loving you is appreciating your worth
 

 
and paying the price everyday.
 

 
Loving you is taking the time
 

 
to figure you out
 

 
and help you to be
 

 
the royalty that you’re meant
 

 
to be.
 

 
There’s no love in likes.
 

 
There’s no care in comments.
 

 
There’s no freedom in distraction.
 

 
When are we going to realize that?

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