Microstory 348: Physical Independence

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Freedom from Persecution

Physical independence is all about being able to take care of yourself. Not everyone is capable of living without the help of others. I’m not talking about emotional support, and I’m not saying that living independently means that you don’t ever need anyone ever. This isn’t about building a cottage in the middle of the woods and becoming a hermit. This actually applies more often than not to the elderly. The older you get, the more susceptible you are to medical issues that can lower your quality of life. Things that were once simple are suddenly quite difficult, and that can be extraordinarily frustrating. It’s important to remember, when and if you reach this point, that your life will have to change in order to accommodate complications that are out of your control. No one is immune to change. We all make sacrifices, and we must all adjust and adapt to external forces. This is sometimes a bad thing, but not always. One benefit of not being able to safely operate an oven anymore, for instance, is not having to cook. All you have to do is kick back and let people wait on you. Take these changes in stride, and remember that they mark a new chapter, not the end. Physical independence is as much about knowing your limitations as it is about being self-sufficient. Know what you can do on your own, and when to ask for help, even if you have been doing something in particular all your life. I heard a story earlier today about a man who was deeply injured in a vehicular collision that could have been avoided if the other driver had been more prudent. He or she was just too old to be driving. Either they or their passenger lost their life because of it. The real problem is that the man who was not at fault could have been killed as well. So it wasn't really fair of the instigator to have been behind the wheel just because they technically carried a license. With independence so should come wisdom.

Self-confidence

Microstory 79: Pot

I am a pot. I am part of a set of pots and pans, created in the late 1970s. We were a wedding gift to a couple of crazy kids getting married at 18. We were a staple of their lives for years. We helped cook their children’s favorite meals. We were there when the daughter was learning the art of spaghetti. The son occasionally helped by stirring the stew in one of us. When the daughter was old enough to move out, she took us with her. And we continued to provide food and joy for her and her friends. When she moved out of the country, we were passed to the son who had just found an apartment of his own. And he did not cook. We listened from under the oven that he used as counter space to the breeze released as the freezer opened, and as the buttons on the microwave beeped and booped. We heard the ding of the toaster oven. And we heard the crinkle of fast food sacks. But we were never used. We had lost our purpose. Months later, the son was moving to a new place. He cleared out the entire unit; in the deep closet, under the bathroom sink, and even the storage space in the garage. But he left us there. He had forgotten about us. A cleanup crew came in to prepare the unit for someone else to use. A young worker, just recently married, found us simple pots and pans and took us back home with him. So now we continue our purpose, providing happiness and satisfaction to a new loving and growing family.