14 March 2008

The Paradox of Freedom

Photo by John Bonner

"So here is the paradox of freedom—the more freedom you’re given, the more crippled you become. I know it sounds strange, but there is nothing as liberating as limitations.So, the first step to writing, actually to making any decision, is to limit yourself. That will free up your creativity and your ability to make decisions."
-Steven James

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Barbed wire was designed to allow complete freedom within a restricted area.

Does that mean we should have fences in our life?

Unknown said...

"a man's got to know his limitations"
- Dirty Harry

Anonymous said...

Dirty Harry aslo said -

"go ahead, make my day"

gretchen said...

As a teacher, I know that if we gave children no boundaries, they would rarely accomplish goals.

And are we not children as well? Children of the most High God. Praise Him for the boundaries He gives us! We would be lost in our pride and confusion if they were not there.

Anonymous said...

Here's the problem and blessing of metaphor--it's meaning morphes...
I love James, and I agree with this statement as it relates to creativity.
But here's another thought...
Perhaps the evidence of maturity is having the ability, discipline and desire to limit yourself to what is true and right and good--without fences.
I Cor. 2:13-15