State of Independence
D | Monday, June 20, 2005

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On my way home from work tonight I saw a billboard advertising Saab cars. The caption was, "Welcome to the State of Independence." And this really hit home for me.

I don't know about anyone else, but that is where my life is right now - a state of independence. And sitting in my car, at a red light, staring at a billboard, at 11:30PM, this all just occurred to me. If I eliminate, just for a moment, the basic things that keep me tied to an un-extraordinary life - a daily job, highway traffic, cumbersome loan debt, email, cel phone, television, etc - I get my independence. Truly. Think about it for one moment, will you? No one tells me what to do, ever. I make my own path each and every day. My decisions are the ones that shape my day to day interactions with, and experiences in, our world. I decide what I will do, when I will do it, and every other detail about my life. I am in control - and to me, sitting in my car, at a red light, staring at a billboard, at 11:30PM, this seemed like an awesome power. (cue Robin Williams as Genie from Aladdin, "Phenomenal cosmic powers; itty bitty living space.")

What could be a greater power than to control your own destiny? This was one of those moments where the philosophy major kicked in and I just started spinning on how incredible life is - am I falling off the deep end (read losing all of my readership)? Probably, but that's OK. For now and probably till I go to sleep tonight, my life will feel balanced and calm. And why? Because I saw some silly billboard? No. Well yes, but think of it this way...

I got myself to this point in my life and things are pretty damn good. And now - in one of those rare moments of clarity where you stumble across something you already had, but simply misplaced or forgot - I know that have the power to go wherever I want. A true state of independence, re-discovered.

D | 6/20/2005 02:37:00 AM |   Post your comment

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Comments:

I really liked this post.
Ashley | June 21, 2005 3:54 PM | permalink
 

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Thank you.

Although, I don't know if the comment looses sincerity when it is solicited...?
D | June 21, 2005 5:08 PM | permalink
 

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I also really like the post, but instead of your psuedo-philosophical take on the subject, I put the religious spin on it and totally agree with you. However, life needs to be more the "pretty damn good" - at the risk of sounding to hokey (but still feeling assured that not nearly all of your 6 readers will check a prior posts comments) life is out there beyond what you know.

Either way, I'm glad you had the thought...
Chris Welter | June 22, 2005 3:53 PM | permalink
 

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Thanks Chris. Nice to see you are back and reading.
D | June 23, 2005 2:52 AM | permalink
 

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