Problematize Post - In response to The Story of an Hour
Longing to Live Freely
We all have at least one thing in common with Mrs. Mallard. We all have heart trouble in one form or another. We struggle with an undesirable thing called sin. We do things we don’t want to do, and the things we want to do we don’t do. As Christians, we long to live a certain way; a pure and holy life. Yet, we are constantly faced with struggles and challenges. Relating to Mrs. Mallard, more likely than not, I believe everyone wants to live a freedom filled life. We long to be loved for who we are. We long to be loved unconditionally. We desire to dance unashamedly; to not worry about how silly or crazy we might look. We long to be accepted as ourselves.
Nonetheless, we are constantly trying to maintain an image. We are so nervous to disappoint others and tarnish our image; to allow others to see us for who we really are. We are afraid that if people really knew all about us, they wouldn’t love us. If they really saw our hearts, we fear we would lose friendships; lose out on a chance to be loved. So we live our lives in a constant state of fear, worry, apprehension, and tension. We walk around holding our breath and trying to maintain an image. An image that tries to earns someone else’s approval.
The Story of an Hour presents an interesting paradox. As college students, the topic of dating and marriage is a popular subject. As young girls, most of us dream of falling in love and having a family someday. We are constantly scoping out those who seem to have common interests, are attractive, and who we think we could like. Unbeknownst to me, I’ve always struggled with being civil, kind and normal around people I like; struggled to be myself. Essentially, I get so nervous around the person I like to the point where I barely, if at all, talk to them when I see them. Why? Because I’m so nervous. I’m afraid to be myself. Why? Because I want them to like me, and if they see who I really am will they still like me? In my defense, it is probably not completely absurd to be nervous around someone you like, but I must learn to live more freely. The freedom I have in Christ is zapped because I live like I care more about what others think of me than what God thinks of me. I long to live freely.
Conversely, in the story, Mrs. Mallard has already lived through the stage of falling in love and getting married. She has experienced some of the things that young girls look forward to experiencing. Yet, her freedom in marriage seems to be zapped as well. It seems to me that once you are married, the freedom to be yourself should increase. There isn’t a fear or need to worry about trying to win his heart or have him notice you. He has already chosen you, so why should there be as much worry to be loved and accepted once you’re married? I think once loved by a person of the opposite sex, one would be more free to worry less about appearance or about being treasured by them since after all they noticed us, loved us, and chose us. Granted, marriage can be a struggle, and it isn’t always easy. But I desire for the person I marry to love me for all of me- all my junk, struggles, strengths, and weaknesses. I want him to love me without reserve or condition. In any case, isn’t that what love really is? Loving people not for what they do or don’t do, but for who they are- a child of God. Jesus loves us while in our filthy sin. Are we not called to love like Jesus?
Nonetheless, ironically, Mrs. Mallard seems miserable in her marriage. She doesn’t seem to be at all free. She appears to be in bondage and suppression. In fact, it is after receiving news that her husband dies, she takes time to relax in her room and “when she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: ‘Free, free, free’! The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body.” Once her husband died, she could finally abandon herself and utter the words, “free, free, free!” Clearly, she was in bondage in one form or another. She wasn’t free while married.
This is where I live most of my life. I am bound by my fear and worry of what others think. I so badly want to love people as myself and love God with all that I am. Yet, I let the view and opinions of others get in the way. I don’t want to disappoint people. I want to please people. But I also what to please the Lord. I want to maintain an image of living a life of joy, hope, and love. Yet, I also want to be real and realize it is acceptable to have a bad day; to not want to smile all the time. I more than anything else want to live a humble and freedom filled life. Yet, how do we truly live freely? Daily I struggle with living freely. How wonderful it must be to truly live freely! To be free to dance and sing and not care what other people think? To go to a church service and when the pastor asks you to clean out your ears with a q-tip, to not be afraid to do so for fear of what other people will think(referring to the renew chapel service last night)? I didn’t want to clean out my ears for fear of what would come out. Why? Because I was afraid of what people would think if gross wax came out of my ear. I worry about the opinion of others. I fear what others think about me.
Mrs. Mallard later kept whispering, “Free! Body and Soul free!” I want to live freely. Jesus has set me free, but I don’t live as if I’m free. I love to run and frolic in the fields with my friends, but if the guy I liked was there I would probably just sit on the tree stump like a bump on a log and remain motionless. Ridiculous. There is no reason for this if I truly cared more about what God thought of me than a silly boy.
So the questions regarding this story are challenging: how do we abandon ourselves to live so freely? How do we rid ourselves of the things that steal our freedom? How are we able to relax every inch of our body? My mind and body is always tense; rarely relaxed. How are we to live in this freedom? After realizing that her husband actually wasn’t dead, the story ends with this line : “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease- of joy that kills.” We proposed in class it wasn’t lack of joy that killed her, but perhaps her freedom being taken away. Since her freedom was gone she could not go on. Living a free life is healthy, wholesome, and overall how God intends for us to live. Jesus came to give us life and life to the full! We are not meant to live in bondage, fear, and worry all the time. Our souls long to be free. How are we to do this? How do we daily live and love others as ourselves? How do we live in such a free, carefree, loving way that we cause others to live freely as well? To feel like they too have permission to be completely who they are without fear of being accepted?
Thankfully, we are not alone in our struggle to live freely. Not only has Jesus given his life to set us free, but scripture has a lot to say about freedom as well.
· Galatians 5:1 says, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
· John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth with set you free.”
· John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
· Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”
· 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
· Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
A facebook friend of mine has a wonderful quote on his page which says, “As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free.” Christ not only died to make us holy, but he died to make us free. When we live freely, we encourage others to live freely as well. When every inch of our body isn’t tense and concerned about what someone else is thinking or how we are being viewed; when we dance and love freely, we call others to free lives as well. It is a calling to encourage others to be who God has created them to be. Miraculously, there is not a single other person in the world who is like us. God knit and crafted every human being to be uniquely different. Thus, we are the only ones who are able to be us the best. No one else can be like us. We are not called to be someone we are not. We are called to be more like Christ. In Christ we are free to love, free to serve, and tell others about the good news we have heard. Christ is calling us to live freely; to fall in love with him and be more concerned about pleasing him than pleasing others. More concerned about loving others deeply and out of a pure heart, than maintaining an image. Christ has set us free. May we, by God’s grace learn to live more free every day; to say hello to the “man of your dreams” even if it scares you and makes you so nervous, to look them in the eyes when you are clearly crossing paths and say hello. But more importantly, to reach out to others in love; to start a conversation with a stranger(or friend you haven’t met yet), to see a need and have the courage to meet it and do something about it even if you’re afraid, to love someone and offer encouragement even if you feel completely uncomfortable. We are being called to freedom. We are being called to live like Jesus. Oh, Lord give us your strength and grace to live in the freedom you’ve given us.
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