Life of One's Own

Here's a question for you.

Someone who was very close to me made a remark that I sounded so happy (note the "sounded" as if people can't fake how they speak) as late. She then remarked that I must be so delighted to have "a life of my own".

Let me just say those comments irked me.

For one, I knew she referred to the fact that I've "finally" left home. As if one can't be happy until that happens. Which means we have a lot of unhappy kids in the world, since all of them live at home.

Secondly, its not as if I live all by my lonesome self. For that matter, neither does she. And when you live with someone, you don't live all for yourself. That's the way life is.

Thirdly, I don't go through my day all on my own. I work in a office. The phone rings. I make calls. I talks to a hundred people a day. My boss is in his office. The nurses and aides come in and out. Faxes, e-mails, even old fashioned-mail. If I decided to just cross my arms over my shoulders and live "on my own", they may as well fire me. What use am I to them?

Fourthly, I don't spend my free time all on my own. I play tennis two evenings a week, walk with a friend one evening, go to church on Sundays, and meet friends now and then for shopping, ice cream or coffee. Granted, I like spending time in the midst of the four walls of my bedroom; but I do that A LOT less than I use to.

Now, it must be said that I choose to do these things. Therefore, I guess I do live "on my own" in that perspective. However, I'm a hermit by nature. I'd love more time on my own, but I have people depending on me. And we are called to be servants.

So while I ranted over these comments, one verse came to mind: "...ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)

So what do you think? Do we - should we - get a "life of our own"?