In the U.S., July 4th is celebrated by most Americans as Independence Day.

For me, July 5th is my personal Independence Day.

For me, its the day I chose, with a huge amount of hard-won determination, to announce the end of my then-14 year (abusive) marriage.

And today, is the tenth anniversary of that announcement.

I may have spoken about this before, but I see it as a story that bears repeating.

Id chosen the day of the announcement with care. Three months before, Id begun a new job, and I wanted to have settled in, when I made my announcement, so that --- if I experienced emotional upset following it, I wouldnt put my new job in jeopardy by arriving at work sleep deprived or with a lack of concentration.

As I drove home from work that day (it was the Friday, following the holiday), I felt sick to my stomach. Id memorized about three opening lines that I wanted to deliver clearly and forcefully. So I felt some confidence there. But the act of finally doing the deed was what was making me feel sick.

My route home from work took me through a beautiful, eerie river gorge, with a rocky river below, imposing cliffs on either side and flocks of raptors circling above. Apart from the obvious beauty, I, personally, believe the area is an energy vortex, a place upon the earth of greater power than most other places.

As I passed through the gorge, it occurred to me that I didnt have to make my announcement that day. I could certainly postpone the announcement.

That thought brought a wave of relief. I didnt have to go through the ordeal of ending the marriage, today.

I drew a breath or two, with a great weight lifted.

Until it occurred to me that, while postponement would make today easier, the ordeal would still lie ahead of me. And every day, every week, every month I put it off, would be a day, week or month Id still be in the same awful place, with one less day, week, month. . . . . year????. . . . . of life. . . . lost forever.

I knew a new, abuse-free life. . . . . waited for me in the future. If I postponed the announcement, that future would still be on hold, except ---- as a mortal being with a finite life-span -----that thered be a whole lot less of it.

So --- I abandoned the postponement and returned to rehearsing my opening lines.

And that night, I took a giant step toward my abuse-free INDEPENDENCE.

That was a decade ago. Im glad I had that moment of confusion in the vortex --- a place of greater power ----- because, though it was hard, perhaps the hardest thing Ive had to do in my life, the reward I reaped was the LIBERATION OF MY SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I soar like the raptors that flew above the mountain peaks, that day. I live with gratitude and joy. I live with a soul and spirit that's alive and FREE.