Why I am scared of fireworks.

I love new year but it also reminds me of why I am scared for everything with a loud BANG!

I can enjoy new year just as much as any other but in the back of my head I will always be reminded of the dangers that linger around with fireworks. At midnight I go outside but stay close to my own home even though I would love to walk around and watch more fireworks go off. I stay close to home because I want to be able to run back inside when need be. I really am a big fan of the flowers in the sky, the amazing colors that light up the darkness to scare away the demons for the new year to come. I even enjoy all the sounds and bangs coming to my ears. I love the moment of a year changing.

Img credits: onfocusproduction

Here in Holland it's normal to buy your own fireworks. You order them either online or you go to a special shop. You can then pick them up the day before or on the last day of the year. I think we are allowed to set of the fireworks from 10 in the morning till 1 am in the night for new year. But the times changing every year so I am a bit confused. Of course, a lot of people cross the boarders and buy fireworks there, and most of that is not allowed to have here. It's illegal and way too strong. Some crackers can blow up a car if you ask me. But I also know that it's really hard for the cops to take control on this all. And because of that we already hear a lot of fireworks going off every day in the last three weeks. Some so hard you think a whole house is blown away. 

I loved to play with fireworks, I really did and yes while being younger I enjoyed setting them off as well. My parents always made sure I had the right fireworks for kids and the bigger things my mom would set off. When midnight came I was always so darn happy to go outside and look at the fireworks together with my parents, friends and family. It always was one big party full of love and laughter. Until that one day.....

Img credits: Trouw ( Dutch paper) 

I was playing outside with two of my friends on the last day of the year. It was around 2 pm and cold. Because of it being so cold we played at the portal of my house. Everything was good, we were happy kids, playing in a make believe tent pretending to do what ever it is kids do. A drunk idiot walked passed us to visit one of our neighbors. He was throwing fire crackers around like they were candy but I guess that was not drunk enough for him. No, instead of walking inside where he had rang the bell, he staid outside and started to set off more heavy fire crackers. For some reason I found it scary and I staid inside the portal while my two friends, eager to see the fireworks went out and had a better look. This was making the drunk idiot happy for some reason and he started to become attention drunk next to being too drunk already to even handle fireworks. 

It took him about 3 seconds to walk to me and throw a handful of firecrackers at me. There was no reason for it and the door of my house was closed. I had no time to ran away or to even move because the fire crackers exploded right after he threw them in my direction. All I can really remember from that moment is a big flash of light and a loud bang. I got thrown back against the wall of the portal because of the strong fireworks. When I opened my eyes again I was in my moms arms. She was rushing me into the bathroom while my dad called the doctor. 

Img credit: http://www.vicburns.org.au/

I had no pain but half my face was pitch black. I remember my mom being scared and putting my face under the water. (( Please remember never to use cold water! make it body temp if you need to cool down a burn)).
As in a miracle the black powder washed away from my nose, cheek and eye. My mom was surprised in a good way and saw that I had not ONE burn on my face. She also checked my neck but she could only find one small burn on my jawline. After cooling and cleaning my face my mom took me to see the doctor. He checked my eyes because the hair was burned but the eyes were 100% good and so was the rest of my face. I swear I had a angel on my shoulder that day. I can still feel the blast and I even wonder how it is even possible for my face and or eyes not to get burned or worse. For some reason I got covered in the black powder but that was about it, well and some burned hairs around my eyes and brows.

But even though I have no scars to show I will always be the scar as in being scared for fireworks. I realize how freaking lucky I came out of this and I thank the lord for sending that angel to protect me that day. People lose eyes, fingers and even whole arms because of fireworks may it be because they like to stunt with it or because something goes wrong. And in my case it was someone throwing it at me. 

I will enjoy the fireworks at midnight again this year but in the back of my head it will always remind me of why I am scared of it as well.

Please be careful of you set of any fireworks this year not only for yourself but also those around you!
It is a great party to celebrate but it can also turn into a nightmare within a blink of an eye. 

Img credit: staffordshirefire

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Feel free to reply and or leave a reaction about how you feel about fireworks! Again, please be careful when you use it and never throw it at someone else. No matter how small or tiny it can cause so much trouble and pain.