For us, this year's celebration was very different from past 4th of Julys. Not only did we stay home to watch the fireworks on TV instead of gathering with friends and neighbors (due to covid), the unfamiliar quietness allowed us to reflect on the hard-fought freedom and independence of our country almost 250 years ago.
What does it feel like to be truly free?
We live in a time where persecution doesn’t just come from a monarch across the ocean, it can come from unfair social systems, messages on social media, and even or our own negative reel in our head.
Have you ever questioned: Who am I? What's wrong with me?
We have. Many times.
What happens when we quiet the world around us and rediscover our own voice again? Do we find that inner child who doesn’t hold back their self expression? Do we find someone who asks for what they need and want without reservation? Who is that person that feels their emotions fully and completely without apology?
Clearly we don’t want to turn into full egomaniacs that uncontrollably express every emotion, but we do wonder what would happen if we tried to reconnect with our inner child… our true self.
Our true self is a rainbow of colors constantly changing shapes and sizes while moving with fluidity and grace. It’s the most complicated and difficult relationship we will ever have.
We know looking inside ourselves for deeper understanding is complicated, uncomfortable, and not for everyone. The complex adventure of discovering our personal freedom comes from knowing there is not a single or simple answer. That our true expression will take on different images, tones and characters at different moments of our lives.
Our hope for you (and for ourselves!) is to get to a place where we don’t feel like running away or changing the subject when it comes to who we are. We hope to get to a place where we can sit quietly with ourselves and fully enjoy our own company.
True freedom is accepting the flaws, celebrating our uniqueness, expressing the multitude of colors, and embracing all that we are. And once we have experienced the freedom of discovering our true self, we will never feel the need, the right, or the privilege to take it away from someone else.
We’re all on this journey together to help each other make a better life, a better country, and a better world. But now we know that we can't except someone else's differences if we don't know how to except our own first.
So, Happy Birthday America, and even if it's only for a day, we hope you can let FREEDOM ring!
With love,
Ming-Wai + Ming-Cee
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