Liberation

The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self.

-Albert Einstein

I’m at a point in my life where I really enjoy reading books that are thought-provoking (as opposed to just entertaining).  I want to be stimulated in a way that expands my mind, opening me to new perspectives or a different way of thinking.  I look for books that will increase my knowledge and understanding of myself and the world. 

I just finished reading, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, by Eben Alexander, M.D.  It was definitely thought-provoking and provided an interesting view on a topic I have not really spent much time thinking about.  As I read, I found myself pausing often to reflect on the author’s words, but it was the quote above from Albert Einstein that I really identified with. 

I always find it inspiring when I see, hear, or read something that seems like it was meant for me.  Like a sign.  I’m not sure if it comes from God or the Universe or just my subconscious looking for confirmation that I’m on the right path . . . doing the right thing . . . making the right choices.  I don’t try to look for these signs but when I find them, I feel validated that I’m at least doing something right.  It’s like breathing a sigh of relief, I can actually feel myself relax a little. 

I don’t know if I truly believe in signs or if I just want to believe in them.  Either way, when I read this quote, I felt like it was a meant for me.  I immediately related to it, thinking about the changes I’m trying to make in my life.  I hadn’t really considered these efforts as a liberation from myself.  But after reading this quote, I realized that is exactly what I’m doing.  I’m freeing myself from my own restrictions, harsh judgments and unrealistic expectations. Slowly, as I learn to just live, enjoying each moment for what it is, I am attaining liberation from the self. 

It seems ironic to me that this quote comes from a Scientist, someone we might refer to as a “thinker".  I would have imagined Einstein was always stuck in is head, calculating, computing and evaluating.  At the same time, I know he must have been very imaginative to create and invent.  He was obviously a visionary and as I reflect on the quote more, I wonder if it was his liberation from the self that allowed him to see possibility where others couldn’t.