"What Does Independence Mean To You?" - A Thought Compilation by selected writers
On August 15th, 2024, I posted a writing prompt on my Instagram page. The prompt simply read, "What does Independence mean to you?". Many writers responded with pieces from the heart.
What follows is a compilation of these thoughtful and thought-provoking pieces.
***
Free yourself,
Free yourself from the burdens you weigh on your mind...
Free yourself from the expectations you are bound by,
Free your thoughts, and embrace the now...
Free yourself from the weight of unknown things,
Set your mind on a journey of the unbounded path.
Let things unfold,
Let your mind be uncluttered.
The process is painful,
But never unsatisfying.
You may come across,
Hurdles to cross,
Which I am sure you will eventually;
All you need to remember is,
Your mind is your limit.
Expand it, let it explore the unforeseen;
Something you will never regret upon.
...
Freedom is here...
I wonder what's in there
Never seen, never got to explore.
Never felt...
I wonder what's there.
How does it feel to be freed?
I kept wondering...
But again, my thoughts were hindered.
Hindered by my daily chores...
Hindered by my responsibilities...
Hindered by my urge to run away,
From everything I cocooned myself with...
Where is freedom
When I chose to hide my anger...
My frustration, my fear, my numbness and my words...
Where is freedom,
When I chose to suppress my desires,
Where is freedom,
When all I do is accounted as responsibility and out of love...
Where is freedom,
When all I get to make a wish list on dust...
Which one day gets blown away in a sweep...
Where is freedom,
When I feel the suffocation...
Where is freedom,
When I see Silent suffering...
All I see is nothing but,
Living beings enslaved by humans,
Who is ruled by narrow minds?
By
Sreepriya Menon
On Instagram as @myquillthrill
***
"Fat, thin, ugly, pretty..."
Independence is a society free from labels.
"Was it a normal delivery? Oh, just cesarean? You couldn't endure the pain? Tch-tch..."
Independence is acceptance over judgement.
"Formula feeding is dangerous for the baby! Too bad that you can't feed your child well!"
Independence is letting people be.
"Wear this! Do that! Ask me before you do anything at all!"
Independence is freedom of choice.
Forged out of sheer willpower, independence is what helps you break away from the shackles that hold you down, helping you realise your real power.
By
Ragini Ravi
On Instagram as @ragini.ravich
***
What is independence?
The simplest of things
I promise it’s not a lot of bling
Roaming the streets freely at night
A place where we can put up a fight
Feeling safe at workplaces
No more of those terrifying faces
Can we be free from
Pinching, shoving, grabbing
Every time we decide to go clubbing
From the stares that keep us naked
Can it really be so complicated?
Independence sounds like a joke
As my countrymen have all gone broke
Ready to make the truth choke
Even as all the women together spoke
By
Anushka Bhartiya
On Instagram as @anushkabhartiya
***
As Rabindranath Tagore said - "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high..."
As a kid, I thought being independent was when I didn't have to depend on my parents and can make my own decisions.
As a teenager, independence to me was about being able to express my opinions and views confidently.
As a young adult, it was all about financial independence, having my own money and spending it the way I want.
As a woman looking for a life partner, independence meant having an equal partner and not somone who wanted to assert control over me.
As a mother to young ones, I use the word "independent" as a parenting style where I want my kid to be able to do age appropriate things by themselves.
Today, Independence to me means "To live and let live"
By
Prafulla
On Instagram as @overthinkingaquarian
***
Independence, they said, "We give you in the midnight.
For all Indians, they said that coded for just 'men'.
Freedom is to be free from the shackles of slavery, they said.
Independence is not for free, they said.
Who paid the price of freedom, I ask,
Indians they said ..
WOMEN - I correct them now.
From midnight to the light of the next day,
she pays the price of freedom.
Inside the houses, streets or workplace,
she pays the price of freedom.
Independence they said is for Indians,
MEN - I correct them.
To stare, to gaze ,to touch, to grope, to follow, to kill.. all the freedom to dress up and down..
Discipline they said, is what Women need..
RESPECT - I correct them.
SAFE SPACE - I correct them.
Allies- I correct them.
By
Sridevi Ramakrishnan
On Instagram as @anklets_of_dreams
***
Independence is freedom
Freedom to book a solo trip - ( make a list : check reviews, what to pack, share location, itinerary, make sure its solo but with a crowd- the safe one)
Freedom to wear what you want and click a picture
Confidence to post the picture and not worry about the comments
Read the comments and ignore them - you’re not the first, you won’t be the last
Having a tribe you call your own to discuss said comments
Ability to voice out your opinions (yes, yes nod when you hear ‘ not all men’
Not my dad, not my brother, not my friend )
Freedom to scroll on your phone when the conversation gets uncomfortable with the above mentioned people.
The world is a dark place and the news is ugly - close a tab, open a new one.
Look for destinations for a solo trip.
By
Samanvitha Boddapati
On Instagram as @samanvitha_boddapati
***
Editor's Note:
I want to thank all the writers who responded to the Flash Prompt. I loved reading all your takes on the theme.
For other writers who are looking for prompts, stay tuned to "Storytelling with Shweta" on Instagram, where I post writing tips, book recommendations and more for aspiring writers or those looking to make the space for writing in their lives.
Storyteller-in-chief, Inkspire.
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