Declare YOUR Independence

As I sit here in midtown Manhattan waiting for the fireworks to begin, I’ve been reflecting on the meaning of this holiday. As many of our holidays have, this one seems to have lost its relevance to me.  From a historical perspective, we are celebrating our freedom from the tyranny and oppression from what is now our greatest ally and closest cultural relative.  We’ve had a great relationship with England, at least since World War 1.

We also celebrate the creation of the Declaration of Independence, with in and of itself is probably worth celebrating.  I was in England last year and had some time to kill so wound up at the Library of England where the Magna Carta was on display along with a bunch of other historical documents that played a part in the freedom of people from tyranny.

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There were early versions of the American Declaration of Independence there on display.  The Magna Carta is widely considered the earliest document relating to freedom from tyranny, and many historians regard it as the precursor the the Declaration of Independence.

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The Magna Carta set the precedent that the law of the land reigned supreme, even above the King.  This was the springboard for Jefferson to write the Declaration.

Today as I walked about The City, I pondered what “laws” I am beholden to from which I could declare my personal independence?  We are have emotional shit we need to overcome.  My tyranny is from old wounds in my childhood.

So today I declare MY independence.  From the shackles of fear of rejection. From the oppression of abandonment and the tyranny of thinking I am not worthy of being loved.  I reject these old behaviors, and as I watch the explosions of light and color over the East River tonight, with each one I will release my past.