” What is independence? Freedom from all laws or bonds except those of one’s own being, control’d by the universal ones.”
-Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

It shows great spiritual maturity to be independent, to know that universal laws prevail. There’s a self-referral that goes on with true independence. We answer to ourselves. We don’t need the written out, voted and agreed on laws to guide our behavior- we know the right thing to do, and we do it. It doesn’t need to be written in a book, it’s written in our hearts.
-Lissa Coffey