Thinking of Freedom
The Fourth of July came and went. As I ponder on the meaning of that day, my thought swirled around what “independence” means. As you know, I was born and raised in Japan and got to America as a young adult. Although I didn’t initially intend to stay, I ended up staying here and eventually becoming a U.S. Citizen, which makes me a first generation Japanese American, a legitimate immigrant.
It’s not that I came from an enslavement or any sort of captivity by any means, but I certainly did not grow up in a culture where “independent” traits were generally considered one of the virtues. My family was not necessarily enforcing much of “traditional values” on me, and I was also exposed to some American culture as a child because I lived near US Army Base and had a few family members who either lived or spent some time in the U.S. Whatever I saw through those formative years, I somehow got to associate “America” with “freedom.”
And “Independence” was an element of freedom I dreamed of. I couldn’t wait to have my own car, my own place and my own whatever that my youthful mind thought “independence” meant. And I had to come more than 5,000 miles to taste that independence even though it still took years before I was “independent” from my family in a true sense. “Independent” I am now that I have fully built my life in this country and do enjoy a lot of freedom. I remember a line in a movie, Spiderman (although I don’t often watch those super hero movies, somehow I watched this one), “Freedom comes with responsibility.” As a U.S. Citizen with fair amount of privilege, I am aware of the responsibilities I have. As I watched displays of fireworks, I felt such gratitude for the life I have, and for the Lady Liberty, a.k.a. Goddess of Freedom that symbolized the independence many people gained by coming to this country. Regardless of the unfortunate political situation around immigration and many other concerns I have, I still believe in the spirit of this country. Look how much mindfulness meditation practice is proliferating these days! I believe the more people practice and embrace the true sense of freedom and the responsibility thereof, the better the world will be.