Freeky Friday: Fireworks

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Hey Freek Nation! Welcome to our first Freeky Friday for the month of July! Today's topic:

What's your favorite Fourth of July memory?
(For our international Freeks, we still want to hear about your favorite summer memories!)

In my younger and more vulnerable awkward years, I was a bit more annoying than I am today. I'm not talking about the "Yay! Let's watch Disney movies!" kind of annoying...because I'm still that person today. I'm talking about the aloof, apathetic, unappreciative kind of annoying. I know what you're thinking: how in the world could Julia ever be apathetic?! Well, such character traits are consistent with insecurity.

I was a very insecure 14 year-old, which led to lots of jaded and cynical comments. One particular incident that sticks out in my mind took place around the Fourth of July. I traveled to Costa Rica with my family - one of the biggest trips we ever took together.

We arrived on July 1st, I believe. We took a lagoon tour, we rode horses through the rainforest, and we had lots of delicious food. "It's okay, I guess," thought my 14 year-old self. When I realized that we would still be on vacation on the Fourth of July, the brattiness kicked in. I remember thinking, "Ugh! You're telling me that we're going to be in a country that doesn't even celebrate this holiday?! I could be at home with my friends doing something way less lame." Of course, this was false. I would have been lighting sparklers with people who ended up not being very significant parts of my life, talking about how they don't make 'em like Guns N' Roses anymore (none of us were old enough to have appreciated Guns N' Roses at the time, by the way), and yelling at my mom because she existed and I found that embarrassing.

On the night of July 4th, we visited some natural hot springs at the foothills of Volcan Arenal, an active volcano. Just as I was reaching peak annoyance level, the volcano erupted.

{via Off the Wall Posters}

It was as though someone was telling me, "You want fireworks?! I'll give you fireworks!" And just like that, I was witnessing the greatest fireworks in the world. And I was surrounded by people who did end up being significant parts of my life: my mom, my dad, and my sister.

Fervor for life and all of its glory comes with maturity and experience. Bad experiences can make you appreciate the little things in life because they remind you that life is temporary. We cherish things a lot more when we don't take them for granted. Good experiences can make you appreciate the little things in life because they can remind you how lucky you are to be a part of this world. From its breathtaking moments, to its serendipitous nature, to its tragically beautiful events that make you realize that everything is bigger than you, life becomes a really incredible thing once we're mature enough to appreciate it.

About ten years later, I returned to Costa Rica with the man who would become my husband.

 

I appreciated every moment I was there with him. And we even saw the same volcano.

What about you? What's your favorite Fourth of July memory?

Are you getting Freeky this Friday? Tell us what your favorite Fourth of July memory is! You can participate in three different ways:

• Write a blog post using the badge html above, then comment on my post with a link to your post
• Tweet your answer using the tag #FreekyFriday
• "Like" the  Freekware Facebook page, then comment on there with your answer

A new month means a new giveaway! Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of July, you'll be entered to win some Peanut Butter S'mores Bites and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are five Fridays in July, so if you blog, tweet, and comment every week, you'll be entered fifteen times!

Be sure to come back next Friday, July 8th, and:

Share your favorite positive advice. It could be a quote from a movie, song lyrics, or just a fun catchphrase your great uncle uses!