Fireworks

July in Texas is so hot my sweat has sweat. As evening approaches, the day shifts from hot & sunny to just hot. The humidity continues to hang thick.

Our crew of young adults, straining the use of adult here, left the fireworks stand ready to engage in mischief. Fireworks stands are a fascinating slice of culture. They are like parking lot carnivals. Both have the same distorted ratio of trust to danger. Relatively unsafe activities are left in the hands of strangers with questionable standards.

Loaded with Freedom Flames, Roman candles, and bottle rockets, we went to the nearby lake. There was a sliver of land available where we could legally set off fireworks without a visit from the local police department.

It was way more popular than the previous year. We had to park and walk ~10 minutes to get there. Halfway there, a guy headed rapidly in the opposite direction. One hand cradled the other, which was wrapped in a formerly white towel. I don’t want to see anyone hurt, so I assume I felt some compassion. However, I recall commenting to my friends about the unsafe idiot. We pressed on.

A couple of minutes later, we were met by another rapidly exiting party. This time, it was an adult carrying a younger girl. She was clearly injured. Everyone cleared the way for them to move through. There were zero derogatory comments this time. We stood in shock. I am not convinced anyone said it aloud, but we all thought, “This is a terrible idea.” Someone suggested, “Wanna bail?” A unanimous vote had us reverse course. We realized the biggest risk out there wasn’t us.

Fireworks are inherently dangerous, and that is probably a large part of their appeal. There are steps that can be taken to keep yourself and others safe. However, we need a common understanding of what that means. Sometimes, in a large enough group, we can lose sight of shared goals. Our ability to be successful can cease to be based on our own grit and focus. We can end up in a risky spot in the hands of someone else.

I need to be aware of my circumstances—whether I am acting upon or being acted upon. I should be thoughtful about who I trust. Since life is a group project, I have to trust others. But I can be cautious about who I trust.

Do I recognize the biggest risk to my goals? Have I done my part to create a common understanding? Am I doing my part to look out for myself and others?

Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.