Sustainable Tarpon Springs - Declaring Independence from Dependency!

Have you ever felt stuck in a situation, job, relationship, or place that no longer seems aligned to where your mind, heart, and level of awareness has grown?  If so, you are not alone!  Fear of change and fear of the unknown often holds us hostage, even when we easily imagine a whole new ‘way of being’, we continue to plod along on an expired and tired treadmill.

As we approach the 4th of July this week, I wonder how the forefathers of our country felt after bravely choosing to leave England, sail across the massive Atlantic Ocean to the New World - only to discover they were still oppressed by the same system that gave them the desire to leave?  

On July 4th, we celebrate the courage of these leaders, their brilliant, independent spirits, and their articulate Declaration of Independence from unfair oppression they endured under the British Monarchy.  They understood they were at a major, historical crossroads and declared:  

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the power of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The forefathers of our country understood they had to take bold steps to pave the way in order for future generations to benefit from ‘freedom of choice’.   At least I hope that is what we remember when we are enjoying our picnics and fireworks.  It would truly honor their efforts to read the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2013, and not only read it, but remember to embody the same spirit.

In embodying the universal Spirit of Independence, I feel for oppressed people everywhere, especially indigenous people whose land is compromised to build power dams, or mine for rare minerals, or drill for gas and oil.  Perhaps what made the film Avatar so popular was the storyline that reflected this reality of how multinational corporations plunder amazing, sustainable cultures just for the sake of obtaining fragile and finite resources.  

Maybe our own investment plans have holdings in companies that justify such actions to keep ‘shareholders’ happy.  Perhaps it is time to seek ‘Green’ investment plans that give more capital to domestic, local, renewable energy programs.  The old adage that advises us to ‘follow the money’ is the current way for us to really discover the motivations for all political ‘stories’ we readily absorb, and are more likely justifying concealed corporate agendas. 

These might not be popular reflections on the 4th of July, but we have an opportunity to make things right, in the Spirit of Independence.  “Now is the time for all good men (and woman) to come to the aid of their Communities.”  Begin to notice how our system of energy and food acquisition holds us (and innocent people in other places) hostage.  

To honor our forefathers, honor our own values, we should declare independence from our dependency on an expired system.  The most revolutionary thing we can do in this day and age is grow our own organic food, support local energy, and give back to our local economya!  Let’s do it!  Let’s celebrate our freedom to truly be independent and be sustainable at the same time!