Happy Independence Day! I’ll celebrate by noticing how truly independent I am. I have so many choices: sleep inside my home or camp outside; eat too many BBQ ribs or not eat at all; go to the doctor with my nagging cold or just ride it out; go to work or take a day off; spend full price on that coat, just because I love it, or forego it for now, hoping to find it on sale or even free from someone who no longer wants hers.
I can choose to spend my day dreaming of fun activities with the family or worrying about what might happen to me next. Oddly, I’m given this independence of choice through an accident of life. Because I’m not mentally ill or addicted to a destructive substance, am not divorced, and I was lucky enough to situate myself comfortably before the economy tanked, I get to enjoy my independence while others struggle on the streets.
Yes, I’ll spend this 4th of July weekend in deep appreciation.