On Independence

Ever since I was young, my parents have always emphasized the importance of being your own person. They always told me to make my own decisions, walk my own path. For the longest time, a treasured those words of advice. I grew up trying to leave my own stamp on the world, doing things that I loved and enjoyed regardless of what others thought. I truly strove for complete and utter independence, a force to be reckoned with all on my own. However, over the past few years, I have grown to resent the idea of independence. My life as a high school student is coming to a close, and I have come to the terms with the fact that at the end of this summer, I will have to leave my family and friends, those who have been there for me through thick and thin, to go be independent. But I don't want independence. I want the love and comfort of my sister. I want to drive ten minutes and be snuggled in with my cousins watching a movie and ignoring the problems of my insignificant world. Now, don't get me wrong. I know this is all a process. But in the grand scale of thins, shouldn't parents be espousing interdependence? If every one in the world could feel comfortable relying on each other, being there for each other, supporting each other, if we could all just depend on each other... wouldn't that be a better way? Although idealistic, my wish is that the next generation realizes how much everyone relies on each other. And although it is proper and good to make your own decisions, why not make choices based that benefit someone who depends on you?