Wow have I spent a lot of time and energy becoming independent - the epitome of the “strong independent woman.” I don’t think I realized it at the time I was striving so valiantly toward this goal, but the truth is that I didn’t want to be told what to do by anyone. Subconsciously, I avoided having a husband or even a boyfriend because I thought I would lose my independence. I moved far away from my family in order to spread my wings without judgment (not that any of them have ever judged what I choose to do). I have even avoided having a best friend because I didn’t want to turn to only one person for advice.
It is only in retrospect that I can see this pattern in my life. Most of the time I was busy lamenting these very facts and seriously believing that something must be very wrong with...