Last week we celebrated Independence Day and it seems appropriate to talk about independence.
As Crystal gets older and is required to make serious life decisions it’s inevitable for increased pressure to cause confusion and make doubts and questions seem greater than ever. So great that they can begin to cause her to need a reality check.
As we were talking about one of these great life decisions it seems as if the end of the world, the Apocalypse, is impending if the wrong decision is made. 
Of course, dad wants to solve all of the worlds problems. Ok not all of the world, just their world.
When confronted with not asking for help and guidance, which have been offered a multitude of times and by different people, she responded that she is an independent woman. She was forced to become independent thru different situations in life.
The understading that independence does not mean that she doesn’t have to do everything alone was life changing.
To be independent means that you don’t rely on others. It does not mean that you can’t ask for help to make your life easier.
There is a huge difference between relying on someone or something and needing them and asking for assistance.
We need to help our kids understand the difference. Showing them that even though we are adults, independent, and making our own decisions we still ask for help. 
Freedom means we can struggle on our own or ask for help.