Independence Day

When we are little children, we want nothing more than to grow up. We want to be our own people. We want to rule our own lives. We want to have independence.

We wait a few years.

We get our wish.

We miss childhood.

The truth is, when we are adults, we are even more dependent than we were as children. We are dependent on a schedule. On the people around us to cooperate. On responsibility. On something to keep us moving. On everything to go our way.

On...

Ourselves.

Every day we get older, the more responsibilities we're bombarded with. Our lives become more and more insane. The more people rely on us, the more we rely on others.

We find ourselves wanting to be kids again.

To be able to do whatever we want.

To have the time to sit down and be bored.

To be carefree.

Last night, I was sick, and had a ton of English homework to do. I really just wanted to go to bed but... I couldn't. I had to do the homework. I had to fight the desperate need to sleep. I didn't have a choice. I had to depend on my eyes to stay open, my brain to stay running, and my body to stay awake. I couldn't run to my mom, put my head on her lap, and cry. I had to do my homework.

Even my four year old brother is gaining dependence. He can't just do whatever he wants anymore. He has to pick up his own toys. He has to dress himself. He has to feed himself. He's dependent on himself.

My dad owns his own business. He relies on his employees to do the work that they're supposed to do. He relies on his clients to tell him what to do. He relies on them to like what he does. He relies on everything to go well.

I'm dependent on my mom.

My mom is dependent on my dad.

My dad is dependent on my older brother.

My older brother is dependent on my little brother.

My little brother is dependent on me.

And every other way around.

When people are dependent on us, we become more dependent ourselves.

Getting older doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. When you get older, you gain responsibility. When you gain responsibility, you gain dependence.

Say goodbye to rainbows and unicorns.

Say hello to a world of requirements.

Life's too short to want to be older.

But it's also too short to want to be younger.

The point is: You're stuck how you are. So embrace your life how it is.

And do what you need to. Because you have a responsibility to be dependent.