Independence

I value my independence as a product of my parents and how they raised me. My parents were the people who showed me how to be the way I am today. They taught me how to be virtuous and independent in all aspects of my life, but not independent as Dee is in the story of “Everyday Use.” Dee went off to college to assert her independence, but what she really was aiming to do was to detach herself from her family and her roots, which she felt were holding her back from being successful.
When I came to college, I was ready to move out on my own. I had been anticipating the moment of finally breaking out of the high school routine and being able to have room to grow. Towards senior year, I felt like I needed to get out and spread my wings. I felt like high school was holding me back, and that I needed to be independent for the first time in my life. Most of my classmates did not feel the same way. I knew it was time for me to break out on my own. However, I understood that the reason I was ready to be on my own is because of my roots. In other words, unlike Dee I recognized my roots as helping me become successful as a person, rather than holding me back.
My parents joke around about how little I call home, because I enjoy college life and being on my own so much. The funny thing is that they were telling one of their friends about this and she responded “Well, it is your own fault! You raised her to be independent.” And that is true; they raised me to be independent. My family is so important to me, they are the foundation for my beliefs and they give me great support in any new task. I could not detach myself from something so great, something that has had such a complete impact on my life.
Independence does not mean losing sight of where I came from or losing sight of how I became who I am today. Dee would argue the opposite: that independence is getting as far away of family as possible. But she is wrong in that family is not what holds you back from becoming who you are; it is actually what drives you forward. It is where you came from, your history, who you are.