Independence Today

What did you do over the Merdeka celebrations? Most of us would have used the long weekend to catch up with friends, family and maybe even on some sleep. As for me, I waited for the fireworks to end before thinking hard about what independence is to me.

Independence means different things to different people. It depends on your circumstances. If you were a physically challenged person, then independence might mean being able to look after yourself without having to rely on someone helping you get dressed and bathed.

If you were a teenaged person, independence might mean being able to get your driver license and buy your own car and live in your own apartment. If it were an elderly person, independence might mean being able to live in your own house without needing someone to do the housework and cook the meals.

I know many people who feel that independence is not needing to rely on anyone else for financial security. I think apart from all the madness which is contributed largely by the supposed powers that be, I’m hugely grateful that our is such a geographically safe country – the good food doesn’t hurt either.

Then I got to thinking. Does independence means freedom? Personally, I think feel the number advantage of being independent is having control of your destiny.

Merdeka Day shouldn’t just be a time of eye-popping fireworks and lots of food. I think it should also be a time of reflection as to the price that was paid for our independence. It should be the tradition of celebrating what past men and women have given for us. The true heroes are the ones who have given the ultimate sacrifice -- their lives. We talk about being a multi-racial and multi-cultural tolerant people. Is that true? We talk about unify the people but there are many who don’t see each other as one nation and we're still profiling.

In retrospect, there’s a part of me that considers it “Dependence Day" – because I sometimes feel that the government wants us completely dependent on them such so that we’ll always be needy and never be able to fend for ourselves.

To me independence means setting myself free from whatever that’s holding me back to achieve what I want to. It means never having to be a slave to anyone or anything and having the heart to fight for all that I believe in. Independence to me is: Freedom to Live. Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Choice. Do you know what it means to you?