Charlie Brown tells us happiness is a warm blanket. So what's independence? I have some ideas.
Independence is a thing to celebrate.
Independence is full of risks.
Independence is not giving a shit what anyone else thinks.
Independence is caring very much what others think, and choosing exactly what to do about it.
Independence is building a force field around yourself.
Independence is choosing who to let in.
Independence is taking advantage of situations where there is nothing left to lose.
Independence is a 10-year plan, carefully strategized and executed.
Independence is a decision you make in the shower on a random Friday morning.
Independence is a bloody revolution.
Independence is a quiet reflection.
Independence is doing it the way you want.
Independence is understanding why you agree or disagree with an idea, philosophy, or decision.
Independence is throwing off the oppressor.
Independence is changing the oppressor’s mind.
Independence is pulling up roots and striking out for the frontier.
Independence is staying put and never apologizing for the roots that ground you.
Independence is not being afraid to sleep alone.
Independence is not being afraid to be held by arms stronger than yours.
Independence is enjoying people for who they are, not what you need from them.
Independence is succeeding on your own.
Independence is being okay with the fact that someone else has set you up to succeed by loving you, raising you right, or cooking your meals.
Independence is knowing from the time you were 14 that you never wanted to rely on anyone else to support you financially.
Independence is figuring out how to do everything yourself.
Independence is hiring someone else to do something you don’t want to do.
Independence feels like a firework.
Independence feels like a whisper.
During this week where we celebrate our nation’s independence, it’s worth thinking about your own. Because for most of us, it’s a moving target, depending on where we are standing. What does being independent feel like for you? And what definition are you using? What does your declaration of freedom look like, and who do you want to hear it?
What are you going to write in the sky with your sparkler?
Enjoy the holiday.
(And no newsletter/blog next week. I’m in the midst of wrapping a massive project, and there is not enough clear brain space to say anything interesting for at least two weeks.)