I’ve always been a pretty quiet person. I remember so many times as a kid, hiding out in my room playing or sitting off to the side and watching people do things. I’ve never really had drive to be part of things or be included. I always felt far more comfortable watching from afar.
As I’ve grown up, I’ve stayed quiet, but I’ve learned how to break out of my shell a little more. I’ve learned that participating can be difficult some days, but ultimately, it’s worth being part of something really cool. It’s been an adventure to find a good balance between the two.
On holidays, like Canada Day, I’ve always been a little overwhelmed by the traditions to party and attend a big BBQ. While fun, it was never really the way I wanted to spend a day celebrating the country I’ve been so incredibly lucky to live in. This year, I spent the day taking it easy and enjoy the luxury of the day.
My day consisted of watching House of Lies, chicken fingers and french fries, a fantastic walk through the woods and pretty incredible firework show. Being out in the woods let me celebrate Canada for it’s gorgeous beauty and tranquility. I sat by a little creek, listening to the water rush by and the birds singing. It was really nice.
And I learned that there is a HUGE difference between the fireworks regular people set off and the ones professionals set off. Professional fireworks are louder, stronger and slightly more terrifying when they are so close by. I knew they would start at 10:15, but holy crap, it still scared the crap out of me.
I grabbed my camera and headed over to get a good shot of the show. As a newbie photographer, I’m pretty darn proud of some of the shots I got of the fireworks. Next time, I’ll be a little more prepared and find a better spot to shoot from. A spot that, say, doesn’t have a lamp post right in the shot. Oh, well, it’s a learning experience!
Stephanie Fraser 