This month is mostly linked with the month of love with St. Valentines’ Day falling on February 14. The mood and feeling of love is expressed on that day with flowers, cards, and chocolates. While I can honestly say I love all three of these things, there is another significant event that occurred in history on February 1.

On February 1, 1886, Abraham Lincoln, then the President of the United States, signed the 13th Amendment making slavery in the U.S. illegal (although it was not ratified by the individual states until later). The influence of the amendment made a huge impact here and on the rest of the world. This amendment guaranteed “freedom from slavery and involuntary servitude” for every man, woman, and child, with no preference to national origin or standing in society. This freedom is the greatest human right of all. In fact, in the U.S. February 1 is National Freedom Day.

That is what I particularly love and recognize: FREEDOM.

We reside in a democratic country where we are free to vote and our human rights are recognized. We have the right to express our faith, our heritage, and our culture and be treated as equals. Some countries still have restrictions and it has been evident with current uprisings recently in the news that freedom is the best thing we can have!

To me, being free comes with recognition of human beings of every ability, race, gender and faith.

I am fortunate I was born in “The True North strong and free” where my rights are valued.

We can celebrate with the ones we love by sharing the traditional St. Valentine’s gifts, but be sure to love the greatest gift of all: freedom.

I LOVE FREEDOM!

Ian is a resident of Boyle Street, a member of the Advisory Board for Services for Persons with Disabilities for the City of Edmonton, and the recipient of the Glenrose Award of Courage.