We all know people (or are people) who stay home to comfort pets during the noisy, and often raucous, 4th of July celebrations. Those unknown and unfamiliar bangs and booms strike terror into our animal friends. They just don't understand what the noise is about. I saw the same fear in Mom last night.
The hints that it would be bad started days before the actual holiday. Neighbors began setting off fireworks days ago. Her reaction started out mildly. I could hear her in bed saying in her stern, motherly voice, "Stop that right now!" Or my favorite, "Do I need to come out there?" It progressed from small intakes of breath to startled gasps.
It culminated last night in sobs of terror. She was literally scared to her bones. So, we spent the evening inside my cousin's house while all of the partying and fun was outside. And that was okay. I cannot imagine seeing and hearing that kind of celebration and being unable to understand what it is or why it is happening. Each explosion was new to her. I had to continually remind her that it was the 4th of July. And that calmed her until she heard the next one or saw the "sky on fire".
So, next year I will be staying home with Mom. I can only hope and pray that words will still be able to comfort her.
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