“The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; an absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government”. Freedom. Now that’s something; something earned not deserved. Something to be respected not demanded. Something to create and preserve not to carve from the Earth. Tangible it isn’t. So we must stop trying to contain it, capture it, own it. We’re smothering it. We need to stop trying to deem it for ourselves, and for ourselves alike only. That is not “our right”. No, it is for us all. It cannot be morphed into our own twisted definitions, so let it float to its God-given description. Let it shape-shift around the air we breathe and swirl up into the sky we admire every night. Let it touch every human of every height and of every age in every way, in its own way.

Attempting to apprehend the very thing that keeps us from being apprehended is quite ironic, isn’t it? I think so. But this is my generation, this is my time: an ironic one. I can only describe us as being greedy. It’s like holding light is no longer enough for us. No, now we want to hold fire but without the repercussions of being burnt, of course. I cannot help but to laugh every time we try, it’s like we know better but refuse to learn. Understand—I recognize that I am being extremely general, and I hate to generalize. I really do, but I am tired of tip-toeing. Someone needs to tell this generation of mine that fire burns, that’s what it does. So any cries for sympathy will fall upon deaf ears because unlike some of us, light is enough.

Unlike some of us, we do not want to trade our light for fire. Have we forgotten that light is what gives to life, not flames? Fire—a destructive, unobtainable thing—consumes without remorse. Maybe that’s why we like it so much, because it too is greedy and selfish. There is a difference between the warmth which light gives and conflagrations. Light was born to be admired and aspired for, to encourage growth which creates the progress that we seek. But fire, fire was intended to disintegrate, to break down the very foundations Thomas Jefferson declared. I did not want to write this piece, but I find it excruciatingly difficult to watch my peers “rightfully” throw their fire on shared land. I cannot tell if it is truly out of ignorance or just to feel like they’ve been burned. But I am not ready to throw away everything that’s been worked for, everything that has been gained through war and suffrage and the unimaginable. I refuse to forget about the 39 signatures that established justice in 1787.

Our brothers and sisters in the camouflage suits of honor have worked too hard to preserve the true rewards of freedom. I am sincerely sorry that freedom isn’t as exciting nor as passionate as fire, but to rally out of contempt abuses the freedom we all claim to love so much. Look at us, rioting. Shouting to be heard or shouting because we can, I am not sure. I am not sure where the dignity, respect, and gratitude is. I don’t know everything, but I know I am onto something. I can feel it, and I know you can too. All I ask of you is, hold onto that something. This confusing, controversial something. I know it is tough to pronounce, especially when summoned to which is particularly unsettling. How can something so vital be a struggle to voice, or to fully grasp for that matter? But still, I ask of you, hold onto this something you feel, trust it, embrace it. I think we need it now more than ever, so please don’t let that light go out.