The Chains We Didn’t See Coming

Do you ever wonder if we were freed only to still be captive?

I think about the old days, when you had to stay up late at night if you wanted to see the “sexy stuff,” the risqué music videos, the after-hours shows, the adult conversations that weren’t meant for broad daylight. There was a kind of boundary then, a gate you had to pass through. Now, the sexy stuff is always on. It’s everywhere, all the time, streaming across our feeds, showing up in ads, baked into music, fashion, social media, even in the most mundane corners of life.

Did they free us from censorship, or did they just find a new way to bind us?

Because now, the kind of captivity we face isn’t physical. It’s mental. It’s emotional. It’s the constant pull on our attention, the craving for more, the comparison game, the dopamine loops, the sense that you’re always missing something if you’re not online, not watching, not keeping up.

Back then, you had to actively seek out certain things. Today, they seek you. The pressure isn’t just about what’s shown, but also about what’s implied. The flawless bodies, the curated lifestyles, the constant availability of stimulation. The savory words, the enticing visuals, no longer require you to sneak or search. They find you, follow you, and sometimes even shape you.

We may have broken free from some chains of the past, but in their place, we have accepted new ones. Chains of mind, chains of habit, chains of constant exposure. Freedom, it seems, has its own hidden forms of captivity.

So here is my prayer: May every person reading this find clarity and discernment. May you have the strength to recognize what pulls on your mind and heart and the courage to release what no longer serves your peace. May you remember you are whole, worthy, and enough, even without all the noise and the endless pull of the outside world.

I seal this prayer in light, in truth, and in the highest good for all who receive it. May it be so.