Independence

This article has been written keeping in mind the retired individuals. I am going to discuss a different dimention of independence and not the usual kind of independence as we have always perceived it to be. Independence is the most importance criteria of an individuals existence. I have always beleived in independent living and I think most of us do. But what is independence is what we fail to define. Some say we are independent because India is no longer ruled by Britishers while others have a completly different conception of independence where they live in jungles independent of any other human being's intervention. Well, my definition of independence is rather closer to the latter's conception of independence than former's.
Independence to me is the capablity of an individual to live without the help of another individual in any from what so ever. Here I'd like to further explain that help from others is different from the exchange or trade of values or materials such that both the parties benefit. Help is done without selfish motive but trade is done for mutual benefit. So being independent essentially means that you are not helped by others but trade and exchange of benefits is taking place for mutual benefit. Independence is not limited to Financial independence but has more parameters as Emotional, Social and Spiritual. I'd explain these in my next articles.
Being independent means to be ready to face the worst nightmares alone. It means to have the confidence and capability to live independently without any other human beings intervention. The point I want to state here is that if there comes a day when an individual has no family, no friend to give him a shoulder, he should not be heart-broken, instead he should prepare himself, everyday of his life for such an eventuality. He should always be ready for the day when everyone else would relinquish him and he has to live all by himself. He shuold prepare himself for the day when he need not depend on any other individual for his existence. When that day is achieved, I'll say that he has achieved independence.
But there is another side of it that I'd like to point out. In the process of being independent, one must not relinquis his duties and responsiblities rather he himself must help others dependent on him to attain independence. I'd restate that independence is the most important criteria of one's existence and should not be compromised at any cost.