A childhood friend, whom I hadn’t seen in decades, reached out to me through a high school reunion contact list. Today, he drove over an hour to visit me and catch up, which deeply moved me.

Though it has been many years since we were kids, spanning from boyhood to middle age, the moment he spoke, I recognized the same boy I once knew. As children, we admired freedom; now, we carry responsibilities—such is life. At this age, reunions with classmates often bring up the topic of "financial freedom." Beyond understanding that freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin, he shared a thought during an interview while preparing for the high school reunion:

"To truly be free, one must have financial freedom, freedom from responsibility, and freedom of conscience."

What an insightful observation.

Freedom is not simply "doing whatever you want," but rather, "not having to do what you don’t want to do." It is a state free of anxiety, illness, and guilt.

Confucius once said, “At seventy, I follow my heart’s desire without transgressing what is right.” Mencius declared, “I feel no shame before Heaven and no guilt before men.” Peter wrote, “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil.”

I’m not sure if my friend was influenced by these great teachings, but one thing is certain—he understands that true freedom lies in the peace of the heart.

To live with clarity is to die without regret. In this way, loss becomes gain, and hardship becomes a blessing.