A Little Independence Goes a Long Way

The 4th of July is a celebration of our country's freedom. Our forefathers fought so that we would be allowed to make choices as a nation based on the needs and wants of our people, not based on what another country thought was best for us.

French Lentils

Sounds much like the independence each of us achieves in a healthy relationship with our parents. The day finally arrives when we are ready to go out on our own and make our way in the world. We get jobs, pay our expenses, and this gives us the freedom to make our own decisions about our lives.

Today, I think back over all the ways that I have been independent in my life...whether it was fixing a broken toilet, paying the last several years of college myself, or the latest...learning how to cook my own lentils.

Okay, that probably sounds funny, but seriously, yesterday, I learned to cook lentils. Guess what? It's super easy. Who knew? All this time, I'd wait for Bill to be around when I wanted lentils. Yes, it's good to have a lentil expert around, but I feel so free knowing that now I can cook lentils anytime I want.

This reminds me that education is invariably at the core of independence. The more we know about the world, how to do things, and believe that we are capable beings...the more we are willing to step out and take care of ourselves...and be independent. Today, I celebrate that independence...as an individual and as a nation.

What are your large and small gifts of independence?