“True freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever you want, but the ability to do what you ought.” - Pope John Paul II

Right off, I have to say thank you to Paul, whose piece "Quiet Society" has been inspiring me ever since it was written, until my thoughts have materialized into this reflection . . . It might seem a contradiction to his observations, at first, but I think I’ve really found a fascinating, paradoxical connection, underneath it all.

It is ever so much harder to appreciate beauty, truth, wisdom, simplicity, etc., when you are surrounded by new cars, huge houses, the latest styles, a million things of convenience, violent and literally disgusting movies, obnoxious and wretched music, and all manner of offensive advertisement.