When you talk about true emotion, the death of a family member elicits its most pure form. How one deals with death, has a tendency to control the actions of that person. The memory of someone who passed may cause us to go through rituals that would seem ridiculous otherwise.
When you talk about emotion, the first column on balloons drummed some up. The reaction I received was way beyond what was expected. Although most of the responses were in my favor, I received a few that were less than friendly. I figured I must have left something out being that I felt I had touched every base, as to why letting balloons go was a horrible idea. The fact that they blow in the wind to wherever it takes them should be enough. Regardless, there were the unnamed folks out there that like to yell before they really sit back and think about what they are trying to protect.
I always laugh when everyone in support of something is happy to put their name on it, but those that want to defy logic tend to stay in the shadows. I will personally be happy to put my name on anything that I stand for. I guess that's what I do every week. Sometimes I get good feedback and others I become the target of confused or guilty people. I have to say it's likely the least favorite part of most people’s job as a writer.
I'm honestly a little bit annoyed with the topic of balloons. How such a stupid act became common, could have only happened one way. I have let them go myself as a child, and regret my actions enough to never let it happen again – move one up.
People feed emotion into the object, which in return places it on a pedestal. I'm just being honest here, but garbage is garbage no matter what you want to fill it with. The act of remembering someone through polluting our earth should seem idiotic, but to some folks it makes complete sense. I can't quote by name the people that don't agree with me because none of them left a name. I can at least include their responses and those of a couple people that feel the same as I do.
To the woman from Norwich that wrote, “My friend showed me your article. You have no heart! My baby died, then we let balloons go every year on her birthday. You are a “expletive” idiot, leave us alone.”
First of all ma’am, I am incredibly sorry for your loss! I do have a heart and mine has been filled with pain at times as yours has. I have lost many friends and family members, but cannot compare that to the loss you have been through. I understand wanting to honor your child's memory, but my heart says not at the sake of our environment. You see, I find balloons all the time in the wild. Many have chew marks on them from small animals. The material the balloons are made of is indigestible, and a wild animal may also have to watch its young one die through starvation, as a direct result of your actions. Imagine knowing someone consciously did something that caused your child's death. That's what happens when you let a balloon go. Please think of your actions and remember your child in a different way. Something’s life may depend on it!
I also received a letter from Louise Perry. She agrees with me and has attempted to do something about it. Louise shared, “That a group recently did a balloon release in memory of a school employee who passed away at a Chenango County school.” She then said, “She e-mailed the superintendent how she thought it was an especially bad idea when they should be presenting a better example to students.”
She received no reply from the superintendent. Thank you for attempting to stop this latest release! In the future, I think we need to stand up together and right away, if need be, even start a petition. I will be happy to make mention of any future releases in an attempt to stop the littering before it happens.
Another disgruntled balloon lover said, “My friend’s father died. They let them go every year for him. I don't care ‘cause it is for her dad.”
I understand remembering a person, but that's for yourself! The person that has passed would likely rather you say a prayer or do a good deed in their honor, rather than send garbage into the sky. You see, we let balloons go for our own well being not that of the deceased.
This past week, my column was based on an exceptional father, Alan Hitt. I neglected to mention that he was a cancer survivor because I wanted the column to reflect nothing negative for his child's sake. Alan was diagnosed last year with stage four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He immediately started radiation which was successful, and is keeping a close eye on his blood work with his doctors. In our conversation, the topic of balloons came up. He mentioned that if he had lost the fight with cancer, that he would not have liked balloons to be released. This is where it starts people. Make sure your family knows, in the event of your death, that no balloons are to be let go!
Carrie Nixon, a local of the Norwich area, wrote a letter to the editor on the topic. She hit on all the important points in her letter to the editor titled, “Flying Garbage,” and how it negatively effects she and her husband’s trips afield. She says, “What goes up, must come down, and I’m tired of picking up flying garbage that lands in my neck of the woods.”
I fully agree and wish, as Carrie does, that people would seek out alternative ways of honoring those who passed. You may find a complete copy of her letter in The Evening Sun publication on Friday, June 12, 2015
Please, everyone do all you can to help educate others and stop this ridiculous tradition! Here's a challenge to all the balloon manufacturers out there. Make a biodegradable balloon that carries a payload of fertilizer and an assortment of hard mass tree or wild flower seeds. There are plenty of endangered plant species out there that would benefit from such a program. Even better, you will be helping nature rather than hurting it in your loved one’s name.
Good wishes and put a balloon in the garbage, not in the air!

Questions or comments about this article may be emailed to sheldonsoutdoorbusiness@hotmail.com.