This is the month of firecrackers and flags. There is however, an even bigger commotion and celebration going on in many of us right now that gives Independence Day a whole new meaning – one that is not about war. It is about a state of mind and spirit. I have found independence when I am able to share my thoughts without the control of that inner editor who is afraid of what others might think. I am independent when I do not use judgment to distance or prejudice to elevate myself. I am independent when how I look like on the outside has become secondary to the appearance and reflection of my soul. It’s when I care less about what others think about me, and more about what I think of the quality of my own character.
I am independent when I have gained the strength to make my own decisions and not be swept away by the crowd or that idea which appears to be more popular. I am independent when I am not afraid to ask the question that is uncomfortable, but more honest.
For me, it’s Independence Day when I am willing to give all the love I have to offer even with the risk of getting nothing in return. It’s when I finally understand that hatred is about who I am and not about who the other person is, or what I perceive they have done to me.
It’s Independence Day when enlightenment, not materialism, is the raging fire that breathes life back into your existence and you understand that love comes from an open heart and hand, not a closed mind or fist. It’s Independence Day when you take control of your life and begin living deliberately from the center of your own soul. I feel independent when I can allow someone else’s point of view to be as much a truth as my own.
I am independent when I can risk letting love break my heart open – again or when I realize I could choose to be alone and still have an incredibly full life. It is when removing the violence from my heart means I need to stop all harm, even that which I create with words. It’s Independence Day complete with fire works, when I sit in my fear and discover I am bigger than it is – when I cry, laugh and dance with abandon. It’s when in the face of every challenge, I remember to breathe.
I am independent when I speak my truth, when I stand on principle and when I do that which is more loving. I am independent when my ego needs to be right but my spirit instead opts for growth. I am independent when I can own my errors without diminishing my worth as a person. I am independent when I release the need for you to make me safe, make me feel lovable, or provide my good feelings about myself. I am independent when I realize that I too am a work in progress, with the right and freedom to learn from my errors.
I am independent when I can realize that I am a part of whole and have the courage to give my individual gifts to the unfolding of us all. I am independent when I can admit that I need you and am willing to be needed by you, as you become more of who you are.
I have become independent when I hold fast to nothing and yet embrace everything. I have become independent when I am able to see that though there is only One Spirit, there are many parts and I commit to doing mine.
It’s Independence Day when you can say; I am doing what I came here to do.
© Dr. Dina Bachelor Evan 2013