It’s a one-syllable word with seventy entries in the online version of Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

This one little word has a primary meaning big enough to change livelihoods.

Its first (and most important) meaning involves the makeup of our society. It’s what so many people have lived and died for: “having the legal and political rights of a citizen.”

This is what Americans live for, as we are the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”

What in life is considered free?

The question is, at what point does freedom become expensive?

What is the cost to put everything you have on the line to fight for freedom?

There is a cost associated with those who leave to pursue the concept of “freedom.” Many feel it is a way to “pay it forward” to this country, since they are so fortunate to live here in a society as free and privileged as ours.

As Neil Cavuto’s show on Saturday morning asks, what is “The Cost of Freedom?”

How about “freedom” in relation to our everyday lives?

Have you ever felt compelled to take The Video Professor up on his “free computer learning offer?”

The commercial claims you’ll be a computer whiz in no time with this miraculous and supposedly “absolutely free” program.

Only, The Video Professor doesn’t mention the $6.95 shipping charge until the end of the commercial when he also fails to neglect the small-print “restrictions.”

(The word “absolutely” will have to wait for a future column.)

You can regain that teenager-ish skin, once again, “absolutely free,” with “Dr. Feder’s Anti-Aging StaTight” serum. Can you believe they are willing to provide this $45.00 value to you, absolutely free? Thank your lucky stars that you’ve come upon this value!

Oops, wait just one moment – don’t forget the shipping and handling and all the promotion fees!

As you labor over credit card applications in order to obtain those free promos they offer you, consider the consequences, responsibilities, and commitments that come along with them. As some of us know, they’re not really “free” – they can come with a mountain of debt attached to them if you’re not careful. (For a fun evening with friends, throw on those hard-earned T-shirts and visit www.freecreditreport.com.)

So, let’s mull this over.

“Free” is not always a great deal!

Sometimes, “free” is nothing but a big come-on. It’s not really “free,” but a big ploy to make us think we’re getting a better deal than we are.

Is “buy one, get one free” on heads of lettuce really a great deal if you don’t need two heads of lettuce in your refrigerator?

“Free air” at the gas station is a pretty good deal, isn’t it?

I guess no one is considering that if air were a huge commodity with a monetary value, we would be striving to take pretty small breaths.

Some places actually charge you to put air in your tires! Air belongs to everyone – how can a gas station have the nerve to charge for air?

Americans are free, but does that mean we can do whatever we want?

How about free speech? Can we say what we want? I can’t walk into a crowded theater and yell “fire!” I can’t say something to another person that is offensive to them.

So, it would appear there isn’t free speech in our country, and many “free” things really aren’t as free as they appear.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Why would anyone give you something for free when it costs them money?

Just remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Even the one your mom gives you when you visit home has some strings attached!

Send comments to Danielle at [email protected].