Celebrating Without Fire
Happy Independence Day!
Here in the US, we are celebrating our Independence Day, and usually celebrated by lighting off these giant explosions that trigger so many of our veteran’s PTSD. That doesn’t seem patriotic to me in the least; stressing out the people who have protected our right to celebrate in the first place. I was talking to my mental health professional (break the stigma!) and she was telling me a veteran co-worker she had, who sits in the movie theater all day for the fourth. There are a bunch of other people sitting on their own, and it’s not hard to conclude that veterans are there to be immersed AWAY from the loud, obnoxious, celebrating.
I haven’t celebrated with Fireworks for a really long time. I’m not sure why, but the sound has always made me jump, and I do not have war nor explosion related trauma. There are so many dangers with fireworks, it is the busiest day for our hospitals, says the Pew Research Center. Forest fires happen every year, brush, grass, or forest fires accounted for three of every five (59 percent) of fireworks fires.
An alternative is necessary at this point! We shouldn’t be so self serving that we burn our nation in order to celebrate its freedoms.
I’d like to give you other ways to celebrate that isn’t so harmful to our veterans and our environment.
Fill water-balloons with paint, pin the ends to a canvas board, and break them with whatever is handy! If you have a dart board, a dart would most likely work the best, but a nice jagged rock will probably do.
Paint rocks/pebbles of different colors (like red, white, and blue for traditional aesthetic), and arrange them in fireworks! Vary them in size for an array of beauty.
Spice your yard up and projects with glow-in-the-dark paint!
Water-balloon war where the teams have food coloring colors inside their teams balloons! Everyone wears a white tee so it's easy to count up the points!
Get glow sticks, make jewelry, throw some up and around, and even hide some with fun things in your yard for the little ones to find during the night time!
Donate to a tree planting organization and or plant your very own liberty tree!! I recommend something fruitful like a lemon tree! When life gives you lemons...
You can do what I did on the Pacific Crest Trail at the Asperkaha Campground near Ashland Oregon, and decorate your car!
Those are just a few ideas I came up with that is fun for all ages! Please comment and let me know how celebrate your holidays, American or not, I'd love to hear it!!