I remember a story I read on the internet of a young, strong, fiercely independent mountaineer who went out climbing a high peak one day, searching for fame. Midway, it got dark, cloudy and cold. He was freezing out there and having wanted to do this all on his own, he got no support from fellow mountaineers or helpers. So he cried out to God, “Help me!” There was thunder in the sky and God answered, “I will, my son. Cut your rope that ties you to the mountain and trust me.” The man, for fear of falling and dying, chose to stay tied to the mountain and wait until the morning. Villagers found only a body that had succumbed to frostbite, hanging from the mountain just 10 feet away from the ground.
Independence also implies trust, team spirit and compassion. People must trust each other and nations must trust each other. This, so that we can move towards peace and harmony.
I tend to equate an independent nation with its independent people