Happy Independence Day United States! The United States certainly is a country of continuous development, holding many extremes, yet always with an Achilles heel of both being founded through immigrants and exploiting Native American Indians and Hawaiians. Nonetheless, it’s a country that have provided me with much inspiration ever since my first visit in 1987. Then to Hartford, Connecticut with my mother and brother to visit her American fiancée and with a day tour through New York City. After that I became an exchange student for a year as a senior in High School in Ticonderoga, upstate New York, when I also got to see Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and visited an American guy I had gotten to know in Baltimore, Maryland, with a tour of Washington DC. My travel to the United States continued with several more visits during the years to come. I’ve been to Chicago, to Los Angeles and San Francisco and driven around California for a job at a Swedish advertising firm preparing the making of a dairy sponsored magazine about food. Back to San Francisco the year after for a combined vacation and applying for two jobs with my portfolio. Some years later, to Miami and New York City again, to make interviews of personal coaches for my exam papers and to Honolulu four times, the last one for three years but unfortunately deported, even with a valid student visa. Now, that’s been more than ten years ago, so I should be allowed to re-enter without any hassle by ICE, but who knows? About two years ago, I found out that the first asylum for persecuted people in the United States, was created by a French couple in Pennsylvania, named Tavanne and Charpentier, who then were bought by the founding fathers. Guess what, my heritage is French and my last name by birth is Charpentier. Maybe it was one of my ancestors who created the asylum? It would make sense to me. 

What does it then mean to be independent, and do you feel that you are? To learn about being independent yourself, you can begin by acknowledging what and who you feel dependent on. We are often dependent on others for both income, food, housing, being able to buy clothes et cetera. But we can also be dependent on others emotionally for support and through our relationships, for intellectual stimulation and even spiritually if we belong to a congregation, with a dominant leader. A healthy dependency, is good and can be distinguished through acknowledging that others are dependent on you too – we are interdependent. Nonetheless, if the dependency is lopsided, you can feel that you lose your own power and your own sovereignty. To not fall into this trap, think of things you can do just for you, even if you’re for example dependent on someone else financially. Make your own choices with awareness and gratitude and you’ll soon grow in your independence instead. To be independent is to be sovereign, while interdependence is found in the balance between autonomy and belonging. 

Who are you depending on and for what? Make a list. What can you do to become more independent?

The next step after becoming independent is to experience the exhilarating emotion of feeling free. Perhaps we even need to feel independent to be able to feel free. What do you think? 

I often feel the freest when I travel, when I let loose on a dance floor or practice Isadora Duncan dance. And of course, freedom to me is to be able to voice my opinion, both when speaking and in writing. To not have anyone decide what I should write or say is the most liberating thing. Even if it’s just a matter of sharing my own feelings or thoughts of the moment of the mundane or my private life, there’s a freedom in that. That doesn’t exclude taking responsibility for what I write or to not exercise caution. With the increased lunacy online, this has become an increasing must. I rest on my experiences, rather than just my convictions. As long as I keep it real, I’ve followed the path of truth and that to me, is the most important thing. 

When do you feel the freest? What does freedom of speech mean to you? And do you honor others’ right to? How do you like to best express yourself? Through talking, writing, painting or dancing? Or something else?

To listen to this blogpost as a podcast, find The Source Podcast on Spotify, Apple and Youtube.

The photo shows the winner and the runner-ups at the Ticonderoga Junior Miss Pageant 1988, where I performed solo the first time. Can you spot me?