The Independent Thinking of Human Being

“People who cannot tolerate those who think independently and speak their mind should unfriend me.”

I wonder about the concept of independent thinking. Wouldn’t that be implied since we do thinking in our heads? Seldom do people listen to me, and when I talk, they sigh. If you cannot tolerate their independence, do you contradict yourself? I think we are lost to the fact of our need to conform. Because the ego tells us we would be better off alone. But, we must tolerate dependence, because in our ability to see others as having our weaknesses, we can better understand ourselves?

The man coughs downstairs and I close my window and check the bathroom fan. The paper towel sucks the paper to the grill and I am relieved. I look at all the open light switches I have exposed, and I contemplate if the air rises through the walls. I start to cover each one, which I haven’t done since the remodel. I tape close all the open features, where old landline telephones used to be attached. All the while, I am listening to the thoughts in the back of my head: He is no different. He just got this earlier than I? I have taped and covered all the holes, except the one where I plug this computer. I try to finish this missive before I turn the computer off, unplug it, and cover the switch. He has stopped coughing. The sun is setting. I look across to another neighbor’s apartment. I realize I missed my wallk. This fear of my independence being lost, has left me heartless, but perhaps safer. There is prudence to consider, yes, but in the end, we isolate ourselves, because everyone is dependent on the other, connected, a victim of Mother Nature’s wrath? If we cannot be kind to one another, than who will be kind to us?