"We don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Freedom is like that. It's like air. When you have it, you don't notice it"

Often, life’s most essential elements fade into the background of daily consciousness, their very constancy making them invisible. When Boris Yeltsin draws a parallel between freedom and air, he reveals the routine blindness people possess toward things that seem guaranteed. Air is fundamental to life, yet rarely does it capture attention until its presence is compromised; likewise, freedom shapes societies and individual lives in profound ways, but its full value manifests only in its absence or restriction.

Taking freedom for granted can be a byproduct of relative stability. When individuals live in democracies or societies without overt oppression, the privilege of self-expression, movement, or choice melds seamlessly into the ordinary rhythms of life. It is in moments of crisis or authoritarian control, where voices are silenced or choices are rationed, that the weight and worth of liberty emerge starkly. People then remember, perhaps with regret or longing, just how abundant and vital that freedom once felt, much as a person gasps for breath when deprived of air, instantly understanding its non-negotiable significance.

Human nature tends to habituate to comforts and necessities, assuming their permanence. This tendency is a warning and reminder: complacency invites risk. The less attention societies pay to nurturing and defending their freedoms, the more vulnerable they become to forces that would corrode them. Recognizing freedom as both ordinary and extraordinary asks people to remain vigilant, to cherish and actively protect what might otherwise be overlooked.

Yeltsin’s comparison urges an awakening of awareness. Freedom is not an abstract ideal existing somewhere beyond daily life; rather, it permeates everything, shaping opportunity, safety, and fulfillment. Holding onto and valuing freedom requires consciousness, gratitude, and responsibility, so that, unlike the air that is missed only in its absence, liberty is preserved and cherished while it is fully present.