independence day

Today was the first 4th of July holiday that I´ve ever spent out of the country. So today, instead of celebrating America´s independence, I went ahead and celebrated my own.

I celebrated the fact that I am independent enough to move to a big city, in a foreign country, knowing no one. That I am independent enough to realize I am the only one in control of my life. That independence can be synonymous with needing support from people who love me. That independence cultivates many things - strength, learning, thoughtfulness, observation, loneliness, introspection, gratefulness, clarity, questioning. That sometimes independence means an unclear path, and that´s okay.

I celebrated how fortunate I am - to have an opportunity like this, to have a life as full and rich as mine, to be able to feel the support of friends and family from many miles away - and gave thanks.