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Kristofferson – a long time ago
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose
And nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free
Feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the bluesAnd buddy, that was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee”
I love me some Kristofferson. He is a lyrical genius. Look it up.
The song quoted above launched the career of the enigmatic, soulful, troubled Janis Joplin. It is widely recognized and appreciated for the simple and profound way it captured the vibe of a generation.
I disagree, however, with Kris’s assessment of the concept of “freedom.” The free spirits of the 60s and the disgruntled kids today who pine for the empty promises of Socialism appear to have no real concept of the burden or the value of freedom.
The burden of freedom falls on the shoulders of often incredibly young men and women always living in the danger created by those who want it for themselves and no one else and too often dying in its defense.
The value of freedom is calculated in human – and Divine – currency. Since humans are immortal and eternity-bound, its value then is incalculable. From the Cross, where Christ set the prisoner of sin free, to the coastline of Normandy, where thousands died to protect the freedom and preserve the autonomy of America’s allies, freedom’s price tag has been marked “priceless.”
Row upon row of white crosses, a tomb devoted to the unknown soldier, blood-soaked ditches, blood-stained flags, sunken ships, burning planes, smoldering gun barrels, hardened eyes, trembling hands, weary legs, scabbed feet, motherless sons and sonless mothers, fatherless families these are factors in freedom’s worth.
So, Kris, Freedom’s really another word for everything to lose. Everything’s worth something and nothing is free…especially freedom. Well, it may be free to you. But the price tag…
God bless America, land of the free.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
