Interdependence Day

6:24 AM.

It would appear that “June gloom” is going to stick around for a while longer here on the coast of somewhere beautiful.

There’s a 5 mph breeze blowing out of the Southwest.

Independence Day and my local coffee shop is surprisingly busy yet missing the typical morning demographic of overly stressed and harried individuals on their way to someplace more important than here.

Today the clientele is mainly comprised of families getting an early and leisurely start on a day at the beach, the park or a day trip out of town in search of more moderate climes. 

I, on the other hand, am content to just sit, sip and ponder.

I have been thinking about this whole “independence” thing.

It triggered a thread of thought, and when presented with such a distraction I will, in typical fashion, commence tugging for the simple curiosity of needing to know what will unravel…what is at the other end. 

I gave that thread a little tug.

Dependence is when you can’t live without the support of someone or something else.

Didn’t sound that great, so I pulled some more.

Co-Dependence describes a relationship where one party is physically or psychologically addicted, and the other is psychologically dependent on the first. 

Scary.

A few additional strands of thread unraveled.

Independence is when you are free from the control, influence, support or aid of another.

For some reason, that’s not sounding all that great to me either, so I yanked a bit more.

Now, “Interdependence” (according to RG’s paraphrase) is a reciprocal relationship between two or more individuals (or groups) wherein it is mutually agreed that life is better together. 

I’m not sure how this plays out in your world, but as for me…I have tumbled down the days to arrive at the stark realization that I need people. 

Plain and simple.

And…there are people who need me.

Wouldn’t it be something if all of us, regardless of race, religion, political ideology or social status, somehow became…interdependent?

The conclusion of the matter is this: if you want to celebrate something today, celebrate Interdependence for it is the very means by which our country came into being, by which our “independence” is possible.

RG…out!