Interdependence is not childish dependency

Childish dependency expects another to decide, resolve, and carry the consequences. Self-sufficiency, at the opposite extreme, pretends never to need advice, care, or collaboration. Mature adult life looks more like interdependence: each person assumes their responsibility and, at the same time, recognizes that they receive much. You work with others, you let yourself be corrected, you care, and you allow yourself to be cared for without surrendering to them the governance of your life. This reciprocity requires boundaries and gratitude. It does not turn every need into someone else's obligation, nor does it keep score of every favor. It recognizes a simple truth: no one makes themselves alone. Freedom grows within relationships where giving and receiving can coexist without dominating.