Being independent

What is actually the meaning or measurement of being independent? Nowadays many people live alone, so are they called independent?

Can a person changing tires be called independent or choosing from the menu be called independent?

I was speaking the other day with a friend, who was in the process of organising her trip to Italy. I told her that the hotel she had organised provided for a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel, however she said “I am not anymore that independent. I prefer the easy way of taking the taxi straight to the hotel.”

For a moment I stopped. It surprised me that the act of arriving at an airport, trying to find in an unfamiliar environment the bus station and accordingly the right bus to the correct hotel would lead to an independent act.

For many frequent travellers this above described short process is seen as very normal and even quite simple. As many know usually not only one mode of transportation is required to be taken in order to reach the desired destination.

However, it is true that trying to figure out the right place from where to take the bus, buying the tickets, renting a car and all the other countless things, which need to be figured at in an unfamiliar area are not the most pleasant thing to do.

The second time around it gets easier: Why are the second times always so much easier??

I personally thought the independency starts actually at a different level like assembling the own cupboard, paying for all the utility bills, setting up the own business and so on. It was quite an eye opener to see that even such actions and decisions classify I dependency, which would mean that many people have become independent without being completely aware of it.

Once in awhile, we should all look back and recognise and appreciate what we have actually achieved; the hurdles, which have been taken, the decisions we have made (good, bad, easy or difficult), the path we have chosen in our life’s including the times we have changed these paths and the countless independent acts we had to show, act on and display in order to get to the point we are at the moment.

Continue being independent but remember that depending on others can be rewarding too.

At least, once in awhile.


5 thoughts on “Being independent

  1. Interesting observation 🙂 I think it very much depends on what stage of independence one is. I remember grocery shopping was a great achievement for me when I started living by myself! Now it’s just a very basic routine… still not my favorite though!!
    Great piece to read 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I think none can be independent. We are so strictly connected, that mani needs of one can only be solved by others. In daily life, I use so many tools I didn’t make, puplic transport I could not build in a whole life, and I have daily relations with other people I coul not live without. That’s because in my life I realize that relationship in general as a dimension of life is deeply written in our souls.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks for your comment Edmondo. It is true that we are living on a system of dependency. The question is: How dependant are you really on the “tools” that life supplies you with and what is the degree, which you can become independent off without comfortably leaning back?


      • Correct. It’s the difference between what you really need, and what you are not able to say “no” even if not necessary. I think the big topic is that we need the work of others, but that does not mean to be dependant. So it’s life. There are may other things we do not need, that we are used to, that risk to become more important then the persons you live near with.


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