Independence

So just what IS independence? That is my question for today. As today is our Independence Day here in the United States, I started thinking about what we originally aimed for in our independence from Mother Britain. We wanted equal representation and we didn't want someone else to be making decisions for us. Funny how it seems that in our global affairs, we all tend to make decisions that currently effect other countries and sometimes without their input (and to be honest all of us as citizens make these same choices everyday through our own actions). What we originally fought for and wanted for ourselves, does not seem to be the same as how we approach current foreign affairs or how we manage our internal government.

So my next thought is: Do we really want to aim for true independence? I think that is an individual question but my response would be no. I guess I care too much about all citizens of the world to aim for true independence and instead would settle for inter-dependence. Isn't this what we all do every day of our lives generally? We are all interacting with people on a daily basis, although for most of us it isn't always on an international scale.

However I almost question whether or not we truly ever are "independent" in our individual lives. We are dependent on utility companies to provide us with our water and energy sources. We are dependent on city services for our sewer and garbage needs. We are dependent on the car company for our car and the insurance company to be legally insured to drive it. We are dependent on the grocer to provide our food and the farmer to get it there. We are dependent on the clothing manufactures, designers, and (often) foreign labor to provide us with our clothing. We are dependent on the weather to provide ample conditions for our recreation, for production of our food sources, for our safety in our communities. We are dependent on our police force, fire people, and soldiers for our continued daily safety. Oh how we are dependent!

However on our Independence Day I guess I am more so reminded of two things. 1) That in knowing that my concept of independence is so intertwined with my dependence on others and their ability to provide for me (and for all of us), I feel utmost gratitude for all who continue to act positively and in a manner for the good of us all. I feel gratitude to the farmer who provides my food. I feel gratitude to the soldiers who fight for what they believe is the correct ideal of our nation. I feel gratitude to the foreign worker who works so hard for little pay to allow our nation to over consume (among other feelings). I feel gratitude to the water board for monitoring the chemicals in our tap water. I feel gratitude to our Earth that somehow up to this point has continued to physically sustain us. And the list goes on.

2) I am also again reminded of the freedoms that my nation allows me. Within our interdependence we still have many freedoms that so many individuals in other nations do not ever experience. As stated in previous blogs, I do not worry about a member of our government physically harming me because I fail to vote for him or her. I am free to vote for whomever I please, I am free to walk down the street without fear, I am free to own property, I am free to say and write what I please without being censored. I am free to make my own choices (although many of them do still have to fit the "protocol" of our nation). But overall my freedoms are so much greater than many others who live throughout our world, and for that I am also grateful.

I hope that while this is our "Independence" Day that we may all think of the interdependence that we have to each other-whether within or without the borders of our nation. And I hope you also appreciate those who every day work to enable your own freedoms. Happy 4th of July!