The Fireworks Inside Us

(A WILDD Hearts Reflection)

Every year around this time, we look up at the sky and ooh and ahh over the bursts of color and sound that light up the night. Fireworks...they’re wild, unpredictable, a little loud, a little beautiful, and somehow perfectly timed.

It got me thinking...maybe we’re more like those fireworks than we realize.

Maybe that’s part of the whole gig here.
To show up.
To light up.
To burst out in color...our colors. 

And then, to leave behind a sky that’s just a little more alive because we did.

But here’s what I know: most of us weren't taught to burn that brightly. Not without dimming something first.

Not without softening the edges, sanding down the quirks, double-checking if our weirdness will make someone uncomfortable. We were taught to be appropriate. 

To blend. 

To strive.

And let’s be real, that kind of blending doesn’t just mute the awkward stuff...it mutes the magic too.

WILDD at the Core

WILDD Hearts started from the belief that we’re here to live Wildly Inspired by Life’s Divine Dance. Not someone else’s life. Not the perfectly curated one on social media. Not the one we think we should be living.

Our divine dance is awkward and vibrant and a little chaotic.

It’s knees bruised from trying and hearts open from loving too hard.

It’s nerdy obsessions, half-finished projects, middle-of-the-night epiphanies, and a fierce loyalty to being real.

That, in itself, is holy work.

So when I think about independence this July, I’m not just thinking about country or flag or barbecue. I’m thinking about the right to be fully, wildly ourselves. Especially when it’s inconvenient. Especially when it breaks a rule that never made sense anyway.

Let Me Introduce You to a Few Fireworks

There’s Taylor. She’s a traveling nurse who lives on her own terms. One side of her head is shaved, the rest of her hair is long, wavy and bold...just like her. She chooses where and when she works, bounces across cities and continents, and breaks all the rules that don’t feel right in her bones. She's not rude, she's just clear. She's got OCD about logic and organization, which somehow makes her wildness even more vibrant. She’s kind. Fully herself. Always.

Then there’s Diana...not me, another Diana. She works a full-time job that’s steady, purposeful, and meaningful. But when she’s off the clock, she’s all in on chasing other dreams. Reiki. Adventure. Big love. Other worlds. She dabbles in what some would call magical, others might call a little spooky...and she’s okay with both. She’s just as comfortable having dinner alone with a journal in a new city as she is hosting a gathering of kindred spirits. Her two boys are the loves of her life, and if you’re in her circle, she’ll have your back...no questions asked. She’s got a quick wit, a tender heart, and a fierce dedication to living a life that’s hers.

And then there’s Deidra. She’s a creative. A grandmother. A deep soul who’s been through more than most. She was already dabbling in art when her beloved husband passed away...but after that, she jumped in with both feet. Painting. Sculpting. Creating with abandon. Through her art, she’s processing grief and rediscovering who she is as a woman, not just a wife or mother. She’s not interested in dating...at least not yet. Right now, she’s falling in love with her own life again. She’s exploring new corners of herself, trying things she’s never tried, and staying wide open to possibility. And through it all, she’s loving and supporting her kids and grandkids with that same fierce, full heart that’s carried her through everything.

The Real Independence Day

This July 4th, while the hot dogs sizzle and the flags wave and the skies light up, I hope you take a moment to honor your own internal fireworks.
The parts of you that aren’t easily explained.
The ones that defy the checklist or the demographic boxes.
The loud, the quiet, the sensitive, the divine, the offbeat, the mystical, the sarcastic.

What if your job isn’t to fix those things or hide them?
What if your job is to honor them?
To let them burn bright in a world that sometimes wants you small, beige, and quiet?

You don’t need permission to be who you already are.
You just need to stop apologizing for it.

This country was founded on rebellion, after all.
So go ahead...rebel against anything that makes you shrink.

With sparkles in my heart and independence in my soul.

Love is ALL there is, 

**Diana