Love and Independence
Today, July 4th, is Independence Day in the US. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness–the natural entitlement of each human being, simply by being born.
Just as a country has no right to subjugate another country, no human has the right to control another human. The greatest demonstration of love–in fact, the only true version of love–is to acknowledge, encourage, and support the independence of another.
This day is a good day to reflect upon our relationships with those we claim to love. Do we acknowledge, encourage, and support their independence? Or do we control, manipulate, and diminish them by a version of subjugation masking as love?
Children are not property. Spouses are not property. Employees are not property. In fact, property is not ours, though we think it is. Upon death, property moves on to others. We are merely stewards of land, buildings, and things we think we own.
I’m amused watching the behavior of chipmunks, rabbits, and squirrels around my “property.” They behave, just as I do, as if all this is theirs. They tend homes, forage for food, and have families on their property.
Living in harmony means acknowledging the right of independence for those around us. Have an independent day.
Jerry