Last night was the first night of Passover, the Jewish holiday where we celebrate the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and their freedom from slavery.
As I was sitting at our Seder last night I started thinking about slavery and its many forms. There’s the type of slavery that the Jews experienced in Egypt and that African Americans experienced right here in the USA. Insidious and heinous, these types of slavery are not choices, not voluntary. The slaves had little or no control over their lives. A horrible way to live…
Then I started thinking about other types of slavery. Slavery to a job or career. Slavery to debt, or weight, or fashion. Slavery to keeping up with the Joneses, or philately, or being right. Slavery to perfectionism, or isolation or caffeine.
These types of slavery are different because we’re slaves by choice. We started it. Only we can take back the control we’ve always had and choose to make better, healthier choices.
There’s a difference between enjoying something and being a slave to it.
Is there anything you’re a slave to? Well, this is Passover. Whether you’re Jewish or not you can still choose to be free from something that has control over you. Free from this moment on. Make your own emancipation proclamation.
Free yourself today. I am.
Are You Going To Be This Way The Rest of The Time I Know You? 
April 20, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Sometimes I think I’m a slave to my insecurities. They dominate my thoughts. Perhaps I miss out on some enjoyment because I worry I’m not good enough (or whatever).
April 27, 2008 at 4:03 am
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