I wrote this blog a few years ago and since it
is Independence Day, I thought that I
would update it and repost it. I hope you enjoy it.
I stopped driving about 10 years ago and
was very concerned that I would feel a loss of independence. But I didn't. I
stopped walking almost 4 years ago and thought that I was done and there would
be no chance for independence. But that didn't happen. Why is that? I think
that it is because my mind is free to think and my heart is free to feel.
Yes, I do need help and am dependent on
others for assistance, but that is not how I define independence. My feelings
of independence really do come from what I think and feel, from my
relationships and from my activities. Sure, my activities outside of the
house are limited. Having a computer gives me the opportunity to have unlimited
activities online.
Does needing help make me feel dependent? To some extent,
yes. But the truth is that everyone needs help. My needs may be more visible
than the next guy, but so what. The seemingly physically healthy person may
have more mental and emotional issues than I do and I would rather have my
physical challenges than those any day. (well, at least most of the time)
We all need help in other ways too. We
all need doctors, accountants and mechanics. We may need electricians and
plumbers. We need teachers and preachers. We need clothes, jobs and roofs over
our head. In other words, everybody needs help And knowing that allows me to
feel a little better about the help that I need. I also feel pretty good about
the mental and emotional freedoms that I enjoy every day.
Let's celebrate our independence on the
4th of July and everyday.
Participate. Make a difference. Live a
life that matters.
