Independence

We, as a nation celebrated Independence Day yesterday. But it didn't mean anything to me as a person. Well, before you take your patriotic guns to shoot me, let me explain...I am extremely proud to be an Indian and extremely happy with regard to all the privileges of living in a free nation. But perhaps because I've always lived in a free nation, and can't imagine it to be any other way, I do not associate any particular significance to that particular day. It was just another boring holiday, and a sad one too as my family which came to visit me over the extended weekend went off leaving me feeling totally stupid and irritable.

And today, I am somehow still quite bugged at everything in general and nothing in particular...

And thus wondered what does being independent and free mean to me? Personal independence and freedom encompasses a whole lot of things....ranges from the silly to the profound...from being able to have time for myself to solve a crossword puzzle to being able to express my opinion without fear of being gagged...from being able to choose the direction of my next step to being able to direct my entire life.....

And all this without treading into my neighbor's lawns....or rather without offending the other person's senses and sensibilities (am reminded of a very famous movie dialogue in my mother tongue...:P)

But over the years I have somehow mastered the art of 'foot in mouth' as well as 'tongue in cheek'....

So I guess the independence I dream of will take some more time...But I am sure someday i will reach there.... As the song goes "We shall overcome, someday..." (Well, well, I can already hear a whole bunch of my friends happily and teasingly emphasise some day)