By Brenda Cannon Henley
“Unfettered,” according to the American Heritage Dictionary, means (1.) To free from fetters or other physical bonds. (2.) To free from restraints or inhibitions. Other definitions use very similar descriptions including “not bound by chains or shackles,” and “not restricted.” Some add the word, “free,” and “unrestricted.” The word was used fairly often in the late 1700s and I found this quote from the famous writer, Charles Dickens, in Barnaby Rudge, Chapter 68, published in 1841. “In a corner of the market among the pens for cattle, Barnaby knelt down, and pausing every now and then to pass his hand over his father’s face, or look up to him with a smile, knocked off his irons. When he had seen him spring, a free man, to his feet, and had given vent to the transport or delight which the sight awakened, he went to work upon his own, which soon fell rattling down upon the ground, and left his limbs unfettered.”

Before someone points out to me and to the editor the dangers of people being unrestrained and or unrestricted, let me state clearly that I believe in obeying the law of the land and of being conscious of the well being of others, including family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. I further believe in the commandments taught in the Word of God and try to live by them each day of my life.

However, I am learning to live a more “unfettered life,” if you will, in the fact that I no longer allow the opinions, words, and actions of others to affect me quite so much as I once did earlier in my life. I now have come to know that we will never please everyone and that even our best intentions will be misjudged, criticized, and often compared. I try to do the best I can by all mankind, but I no longer bow and scrape, and I don’t intend to begin to do that in the near future. Some folks are so unhappy in their own lives that they vow that they will make everyone in their power live in the same horrible conditions. I plan not to be shackled by that behavior nor do I expect to be restricted and restrained by their unhappiness. This is a good thing for me.

I read the word with great interest, and like in many instances we face in life, I began to see it in several different contexts, in print, on the air, and in church services. I set out to learn all I could about living or being “unfettered.” Have you ever bought a new automobile, and in the next few days, saw one on almost every corner? I always find that funny and exciting at the same time. Others had my same good taste in vehicles is what I think.

Reading is one of my great passions, and in the course of any given week, I consume about five to seven books covering all kinds of topics. One of Ted’s favorite jokes was that he wasn’t going to buy me any more books because I just read them up too quickly. And, yes, I am old school. I still like to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. I have a Kindle Fire, an iPad, and a great Mac ProBook, as well as my phone that allows me to read, but I always go back to the real book.

A book I read this week typified the word “unfettered” for me in yet another light. The Mullah’s Storm by Thomas Young is a novel about a Major in the United States Air Force and his flight crew being shot down during a storm over the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan. The story centers on a transport plane carrying an important Taliban detainee for interrogation and the survivors that lived to tell the story. The terrific snow and ice storm makes rescue impossible and sets the background for survival across some of the most forbidding terrain on earth.

The thing that caught my attention right away was the fact that when Major Parsons and his US Army interpreter Sergeant Gold knew they had to leave the area where the plane had landed in order to have a chance for survival, they began to strip away anything that would hinder their progress in the cold and dangerous trek. The Major carefully evaluated what would be useful and what would not be useful, and at perhaps the cost of their lives, he left many tools, conveniences, and electronics that he otherwise would have used. He made certain that the two of them were truly unfettered and free to begin the journey laid out for them. I won’t tell you how the story ended, but I will tell you I learned from the wisdom these service personnel exhibited.

I was reminded of Hebrews 12:1 where I believe Paul said, “Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” In other words, Paul is saying, “Become unfettered. Get rid of all the weight and the sin that bogs you down. Free your life to be happy, consistent, joyful, and filled with blessing.”

What can we rid ourselves of today in order to become more unfettered and ready to live in the joy that God ordains for His children? Do we need to exit our friendship with that gossipy, despondent neighbor that brings us down with constant criticism of others? Do we need to spend more time with our family members? Should we work on health issues?

How about making ourselves more available to those that really love us and to those that need us most? What can we give up today to help our lives become more unfettered?

(This article published 7/13/2015)

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at
[email protected].