Fireworks and war

There's a full moon behind those clouds tonight and that explains the fireworks - it is the last day of celebrations for the New Year. The Year of the Rabbit has literally been brought in with a bang, or many, rather. Fireworks are seemingly unregulated here meaning they are loud, big, and EVERYWHERE. The amount of professional-grade fireworks here is frightening. And the little sign at the gate of our complex that says no fireworks, ha! Try and stop them!

I think the guards like them, actually.

I did not realize before just how big these things are, but put them up against an apartment building and wow - truly huge. When some of these suckers expolde, their diameter spans over 10 floors. So tonight I see my neighbors not in the dim city haze of night but in the bright, sparkling, unrelenting glow of fireworks. It's an interesting perspective - colorful, cool, and a very real eye into war. Not to say that I know what war is like. But I have a much greater appreciation now for those who come out of war shell-shocked. If I had to listen to this every night, and day, and night, and feared every pop, I also would go insane. One night is rough. And I'm not in any danger even. I don't know how anyone could come back and NOT be shell-shocked. Maybe if every soldier returning from war was insane we wouldn't fight any more wars.

Right.

But did I mention that they're loud?

Happy Year of the Rabbit!