"I'm Still Here" – A Story About the Essence of Freedom

There are stories that stay with us. Not because of grand explosions, flashy visuals, or surface-level triumphs. But because they touch something deeply human. Something that sparks a quiet fire within. The story of Papillon is one such tale. A struggle for freedom—not only from walls and chains, but from the inner prison that society, people, and we ourselves often create.

When Henri “Papillon” Charrière finally cries out "I'm still here," it's not just a sign of survival. It's a tribute to the very force of life. A proof that freedom is not always a physical state. It's something that lives within us. A flame that must never be extinguished.

What is Freedom?

Freedom is a word we often use. But what does it really mean?

For some, freedom is the ability to travel anywhere, say anything, live without coercion. For others, it’s something more subtle—to be who you are, to escape the expectations of others, to breathe deeply without guilt or shame. For Papillon, freedom was both physical and spiritual. He was locked up in prison, but when they tried to break his will, that’s when his freedom was truly put to the test.

So freedom is not merely the absence of chains—it’s the presence of hope.

The Chains We Don’t See

In today’s modern world, it’s easy to think we’re free. We have rights, opportunities, choices. But do we really see our chains?

Social media tells us how to look, how to live. Work life demands that we be productive, efficient, never tired. Society tells us when to be happy, when to be successful, when to settle down. We wear costumes of expectation, masks of adaptation—and somewhere deep inside, we may hear a voice whisper: “I want to be free.”

But what happens when we listen to that voice?

The Inner Captivity

There are people who have been imprisoned for decades yet never lost their sense of freedom. And there are people with full mobility, wealth, and power who are prisoners in their own lives. This is where the true nature of freedom reveals itself: it begins and ends within ourselves.

To be free is to dare to be who you are, even when it costs you. To stand up for your truth, even when it hurts. To have the strength to say, "I am here"—not as a cry for help, but as a declaration that you exist, that you are still alive, still standing.

Papillon – A Symbol of Human Will

Henri Charrière, known as Papillon (French for butterfly), was wrongly imprisoned on Devil’s Island. But it’s not the location or the brutality of the prison that makes his story gripping. It’s his unyielding will. His refusal to accept a life without freedom. Despite years in isolation, betrayal, physical suffering, despite repeated failed escape attempts—he never gave up.

For every fall, he rose again. For every wall, he found a crack. For every night in solitude, he lit a candle inside.

"I’m still here" is not just a phrase of survival—it’s a manifesto. A testament that as long as the will is alive, one can never be fully imprisoned.

The Cry of Freedom – From Devil’s Island to Scotland

There is yet another cry for freedom that echoes through history. From another place, another time. When William Wallace in the film Braveheart defies his torturers and, in his final breath, gathers strength for one last word: "Freedom!"

His cry reaches far beyond the torture chamber. It reaches into our hearts. Because it’s not about political revolution or historical accuracy—it’s about the essence of human courage. He didn’t die because he wanted to. He died because he refused to live unfree.

Where Papillon whispers “I’m still here” as a triumph over oppression, Wallace screams “Freedom!” as a challenge to the world. They are two sides of the same coin. Two men who chose freedom over fear.

My Own Butterfly Wing

We all have a Papillon inside us. A voice that whispers we were born for something more than mere survival. A part of us that longs for freedom—not to escape, but to truly live.

I know it because I’ve been there. Trapped in old patterns. A prisoner of my own thoughts. But I found a crack in the wall. I dared. And I whisper it to myself sometimes, almost like a mantra: "I’m still here."

It’s not the end of a story. It’s the beginning.

The Price of Freedom

But freedom has a price. Following your heart often means going against the current. It means daring to stand alone, daring to be misunderstood, daring to take responsibility for your own life—without blaming others.

It’s easy to point to circumstances. To politicians, to parents, to the economy, to luck or misfortune. But the first step to freedom is realizing that no one else owns your life. You do.

And that’s when we start saying what Papillon said: "I’m still here." I may have fallen. I may have been crushed. But I’m still here. I stand. I live.

Dare to Be Free

We live in a time where we believe freedom means having everything. But perhaps freedom is needing less. Letting go of the external to find peace within. To be able to sit in silence with yourself—and feel calm.

Freedom is not just a right. It’s a relationship. Between us and life. Between us and our fears. Between us and our courage.

To be free is to be able to say “no” when everyone else says “yes.” To say “yes” when the world wants you to stay silent. To follow your inner compass, even when the path is unknown.

The Call for Freedom in the Future

The world needs more free people. Not egotists. Not narcissists. But free souls. People who dare to live truthfully, who dare to feel, who dare to love, who dare to be afraid and still keep going. People who understand that freedom is not avoiding pain—but feeling it fully and still choosing life.

We are not prisoners as long as we remember why we want to be free.
We are not defeated as long as we can whisper: "I’m still here."