For all my American Readers, Happy Fourth of July! ^_^ Indeed there's hardly a celebration we can think of that's more trascendental in our national life, than our Independence Day. At least through all of America (the continent), the dates might be different, but the feeling is the same. Perhaps some 200 or more (or less) years since it, we have forgotten about the feat it meant to make it happen, to fight and finally becoming countries of our own, not conquered lands subjected to greater powers. However in a way, we still value our independence, and more than one of us gets upset when another country decided to invade our lands, or tries to force us to do their bidding, or wants to influence our laws or our economics. Just think about it: we don't want another country or an international organization telling us what should our laws say, particularly if the ammends they want to implement go against our best interest. We don't want another country to dictate our minimal wag, the number of hours we should work, or what sort of labor warranties we get, if any. We don't want them either to have a say on how much our money worths, or who gets loans and at what interest rate, under which conditions.
Perhaps in big countries these situations are hard to imagine, but for many smaller countries such has been a daily struggle, a struggle that has often been lost on purpose thanks to corrupt politicians (who often sacrifice more of the rights of the people, not at the request of another country or an organization, but blame it on them, so that they can get their personal agenda moving).
I still wonder time and again - and at every Independence Day - about how we celebrate so fervently our country's independence day, but cast away our own, or truly fall into the bullshit of people telling us that our independence is evil.
Personal Independence isn't a state of mindless libertinage, or absolut irresponsability or immaturity. It's not a state of denying of everything and everyone, nor is a state of shame that shows that you are not loved. Personal Independence is big, is HUGE and is heavy, but that doesn't make it unwanted. It demands you to be able to stand on your own feet, to defeat defeat itself, make your own decisions and shoulder them. Yes, it can sound scary, specially because personal independence entails that you'll give up on escape goats. It's the end of looking for people to blame for your circumstances or the place you are in, the trouble you get yourself in. With personal independence you admit your fault, and then move on. It keeps you fighting, it keeps you moving and above all, it keeps you from expecting for your dreams to fall on your lap by some miracle, but gets you working for them, and even review them, if they are truly what you want.
As result of all these, and by recognizing that your life and your circumstances are in your hands, personal independence empowers you and makes you feel truly invincible. You can fly! As you rip yourself away from those higher powers that have kept you dependant so far, that have made you feel small, vulnerable, unable to defend yourself, unable to take a step towards the biggest decisions of your life. Which is your Spain? Which is your England? Which is your Portugal? Which is your France? Which is your Netherlands? Be not afraid of claiming your independence. An overpowering partner, a suffocating family or family member, an absorbing job, an addiction, an all demanding religious group, or maybe even an inherited idea or tradition.
Claiming your independence doesn't have to mean to break your ties with them, just like with the countries, but it means that your relationship, the way you relate to them will be different, and you'll be finally able to stand as equalls.
As the independence of our countries, so is important the independence of our selves, or do we want to be slaves in a land of free men?
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