Our lives are woven together. As much as I enjoy my own【B1】___, I no longer imagine I can get through a【B2】day, much less all my life, 【B3】on my own. Even if I am on【B4】in the mountains, I am eating food someone else has grown, living in a house someone else has built, wearing clothes someone else has【B5】from cloth woven by others, using【B6】someone else is distributing to my house. 【B7】of interdependence is everywhere. We are on this【B8】___together.

As I was growing up, 【B9】___. “Make your own way”, “Stand on your own two feet”, or my mother’s favorite remark when I was face-to-face with consequences of some action: “Now that you’ve made your bed, lie on it!” Total independence is a dominant theme in our culture. I imagine that 【B10】___. But the teaching was shaped by our cultural images, and instead I grew up believing that I was supposed to be totally “independent” and consequently became very reluctant to ask for help.

【B11】______

【B1】