“Nature never said to me: Do not be poor; still less did she say: Be rich; her cry to me was always: Be independent.” Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort
Some people are afraid of the word independence, as if it would mean being alone. That’s misinterpreting, of course, but it could often mean standing alone. This is not the same as loneliness, but simply that you are strong in and by yourself, in your faith, in your convictions. It also means that you’re always on the move, going forward, trying to accomplish things. With a sure knowledge of who you really are, you’re unbound from the ties of group pressure, free to set your own path, while those around you might chose another route, or just be hanging about. (See photo)
Being alone is in and of itself not a negative state. It all depends on the relationship you have with yourself. Because if you like the person you´re with, you cannot be lonely.
Having said that, I believe in trying to live a life in balance. It’s easy to take independency to its extremes, meaning that we become to proud to listen to others, or accept help (and even give) when needed. This is also the wrong way to go, because we do need each other. We’re certainly not living life only for our owns sakes – far from it. Maybe I could summarize in these words:
Being independent is being strong in the world, but not physically or emotionally isolated from it.
What do you think?