What does been "financially free" even mean anyway?!

[Account Closed]

I've started learning REI and I stumbled upon a few threads talking about cash flow vs appreciation. One post on this thread here REALLY stood out by Minh Le.

"Cash-flow pays the bills. Appreciation makes you rich."

The way I'm understanding it, is this: Cash flow is a job. Cash flow is used to pays bills. And yet, cash flow is the one single thing you need for financial freedom. How can you be financially free when you're working a job? Isn't the reason why we choose REI is to get out of our 9-5 job? If so, why are we all struggling so hard to achieve cash flow, when cash flow itself is a job? Robert Kiyosaki's board game called "Cash flow" literally makes you play in the rat race till you get enough cash flow(cash flow > expenses) to get on the fast track and become "financially free". Is this a lie or a illusion then? You work at a job and want out of the rat race, so you get cash flow. But cash flow itself is a job as well. If so, what the hell does "been financially free" even mean then? What does been "wealthy" mean then? What's the difference between having cash flow and having wealth?

Also, I know my grammar is horrible and I don't care.  I'm REALLY having a internal crisis right now!