On the evening of the fourth of July in the United States, you may spot colorful bolts of fireworks splitting the sky. Perhaps your fork is wedged in a slice of apple pie, or watermelon juice is dripping from your fingers as orchestras sound the national anthem.
The fireworks above you signify joy, abundance, and unbridled freedom: a burst of light in the darkness commemorated year after year.
Independence cannot exist in a vacuum: its existence depends on a starting point - a flame to the firework’s fuse - and a set of conditions from which the subject gains freedom. In commemorating independence, we must ask both:
What are we seeking independence from?
as well as
What are we seeking freedom to do?
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Who Do You Depend Upon?
The Talmud teaches that a parent has multiple obligations to their child in order to bring them to independence: to teach the child Torah, find them a partner, teach them a craft or trade, and make sure they can swim.
Ultimately, we cannot become independent by ourselves. We need the help and support of others to demonstrate what independence looks like, cheer us on, and let us be. Thus, our independence is the product of our relationships with teachers, camp counselors, parents, driving instructors, employers, and many others.
think about the people who shaped your independence. what did each of them teach you?
LEARNING: FOSTERING (JEWISH) INDEPENDENCE
the Talmud outlines specific skills a parent must teach. Why these? What do they say about what it means to be truly independent?
Now it's your turn: if you were writing the list today, what skills would you include? What does it mean to be “Jewishly independent”?
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The Trade-Off
Independence doesn't arrive in a straight line, and it doesn't look the same for everyone. Our journeys are shaped by what came before us, by the history, relationships, and circumstances we inherited. Sometimes life forces it on us before we're ready. Sometimes we have the privilege to teeter between wanting someone to lean on and craving to stand alone.
On the eve of leaving Egypt, God commands Moses and the Jewish People to create a calendar. for the first time they control their own time – a freedom that was denied in slavery, and one that immediately comes with the responsibility for how their time is used
In our own lives, we navigate the tension between rights and responsibilities constantly. The freedom to drive allows us to journey, escape and explore, but it also requires a commitment to rules that keep everyone safe. Every important life decision can feel deeply liberating, and yet each one draws us into a new system of rights and commitments.
Activity:
Between Rights and Responsibilities 20 minutes
Whether changing a tire or cooking a meal, balancing a bank account or traveling abroad, we’ve each acquired skills and developed dispositions that contribute to our sense of independence.
In this exercise, look back at the moments that made you more independent. What responsibilities came with them, and how did you handle them?
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To Celebrate and To Complicate
While the fireworks of July 4th seem to sparkle above us equally, but this anniversary invites us to ask honestly: does our national independence live up to the values for which we fought?
We have come to realize that the freedoms that should be communally experienced - to vote, to live without fear, to have access to equitable housing and healthcare - were actually afforded to some and denied to others. There are those who are still fighting for what others have long taken for granted.
Yet, our national independence remains a source of strength and joy. We can hold pride in how far we have come as well as critical reflection for where we still need to go.
poster challenge:
Meet me halfway
20 minutes
On this 4th of July, how do you make space for both celebration and critical reflection?
In this exercise, consider the various perspectives associated with commemorating the 4th of July. Then, create a poster which captures a message you want to send to your community this year.
Of Independence Day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival…It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
Independence is something to celebrate, whether it was hard-won through a revolution or attained through a slow process of growth. Every country and individual that has achieved independence should commemorate in some way. And yet, as you bite into your third ear of corn, sit on your stoop or watch the sky light up, we must remember that maintaining independence takes tremendous work and requires a level of honest reflection.
May this year’s celebration of independence not only commemorate the past, but also unite the nation around the unequivocal rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
From your friends at M²
Looking for inspiration on the many ways to use this Value Spark? We put together a list of our ideas to get you started.
Credits:
Created with images by Joshua Rodriguez - "Light in Darkness 1" • Sangarsh Angura - "untitled image" • Jon Tyson - "untitled image"