Dependent Independence
Every kid rushes to grow up and every adult wishes they could turn back time, for even just a moment. To be cared and loved for again by their parents or close relatives rather than be exhausted loving and caring for their own progenies.
When I was growing up, the only thing I looked forward to was driving a car and riding a motorcycle. If I had known about tractors, I’m sure that would’ve made the cut as well. In my teens I dreamt about becoming a pilot, but never a Captain of a ship, I’ve always been too afraid of the sea ever since I stepped on a horseshoe crab, an interesting species that hasn’t evolved much for 450 million years. The sea is a fear I would like to gradually overcome, eventually.
But I do enjoy watching families on YouTube that travel the world by sea, docking in a new location every other week, enjoying freshly caught seafood, sunbathing on some random tiny island, but most of all, having firsthand accounts of how beautiful our world is. Living on sea sounds extremely scary to me, mainly because of how temperamental the weather can be, but also because of pirates.
Freedom is an incredible feeling, these families travel with children and teach them such invaluable lessons in the form of experience. How to navigate the seas, how to survive at sea, how to repair and maintain a sail boat, how to read charts, how to plot charts, how to manage supplies, how to live with people in extreme proximities and the list goes on.
There is something beautiful about being in the sea, somewhere but nowhere at the same time, rocking from the waves, it somewhat becomes your cradle, giving your life a different tempo as you lay down observing the milky way above with only the sounds of the breeze and the gentle lapping of water.
Nothing is more independent than that to me. Being so confident in my skills that I am willing to risk my life being above another somewhat-known universe/dimension that is the sea, while being carefree enough to gaze at the stars. Ah…
Though it sounds like I’m a beach kinda guy, I actually much prefer the forest. Tall mighty trees that are hundreds of years old really hit the spot.
You already know what I did with my independence. And for some reason I can’t help relate it to many, many countries. You’re one shy of being a quarter of a millennium years independent, while South Sudan is a few days shy from celebrating their 14th year.
As you celebrate independence gained from the British through revolution, I wonder if a new revolution will emerge to propel your country beyond its state of the past 10–15 years, making it more robust and far less corrupt. Or will you be brought to your knees by your own egotistical volition.
I’m sure you know the system is flawed. I’m sure you’ve recognized your mistakes. I know you know what can be fixed. I have a feeling, you will keep pushing your problems forward until you can blame someone other than yourself. By then, the rest of the world will have no trust or faith in you, not to mention, quite a large portion would be brought down along with you.
You claim to be a Christian nation. Maybe it is time to start behaving like one. Independence does not mean subjugating your citizens. It does not mean taking advantage of them by creating new economies they do not need to justify your never ending paper production. Their ever growing consumption on credit and coupons, is not a healthy indicator of a healthy economy, because once they can’t pay, it’ll all come crashing down.
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Which is probably why you’ve built another economy around videos and ads, and why you’re protecting said economy from foreign competitors, you are vested in ensuring many people are able to get some change, possibly build common empires, to feed a new age of consumption. The brain rot economy that allows anyone with a smartphone to brainwash anyone without a backbone. You’ve already felt the first wave of the effects, and you will soon feel the second.
The Bible Belt is probably the strongest and only reason you can say God Bless America, but when the Northeast and Southwest eventually meets there, you’re eventually going to have to drop the big G. I considered myself a liberal until I learnt what liberal meant over there, and now I pray you’ll stop seeing rainbows. A sex obsessed love is not the love God has shown you, so how did you allow your country to over indulge in all sins, especially lust so openly?
I pray you start reporting news with more honesty, and complete transparency, with less provocation and less divide. Not every vertical in society has to be profitable, it is time to ensure the newer generation gets taken care of, and those that have served the country get comfortable send offs. Remove unnecessary convolutions, operate the same way God operates, you have every reason as a ‘Christian’ nation to operate with an iron fist, but also with extreme tenderness.
I know a few more of your evil economies that prey on the weak and vulnerable. I could go on, but I won’t, for now. If you have any you’d like to share, please go ahead. I do however want to leave you with the message I have today.
“Happiness obtained the easy way never lasts long, hard-earned happiness is difficult to destroy”.
I feel that your happiness now is built on a house of cards and will be short lived if you don’t somehow find a way to either fill the gaps with concrete, or design an exoskeleton for it. Either would still be a temporary solution. The hard-earned happiness would be getting the nation back to Jesus.
There is strength in dependence, especially with neighbors, communities, colleagues, allies (nations), especially when the same foundational values are shared. It is time to build said values and strengthen our dependence with God. The Bible teaches us that we have freedom from sin, death and worldly bondage, but never about independence, for He asks for us to depend in Him.
God designed humans for community, even introverts are occasional social sponges because pursuing extreme self-reliance may lead to isolation which will affect our very existence to love and serve others.
May we be more like Kelly who realizes she doesn’t need to be defensive when love is true, who was initially reluctant, maybe from previous relationships, but discovers love can be both beautiful and vulnerable. Now, are you ready to do the same with God? He’s calling you. =)
This is part of a series under “Project Kuchiku”, a project designed to help Fix the Future through Platform Building.
Please help this imperfect soul try to perfect this project by contributing $1/month here and share this idea of a better future with potential futurists. Arigato =)
