Chapter 303: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Sarah and Kristen are so worried that they're going to miss something that they run on ahead... sort of.
It's really interesting to me as I start hitting the milestones which mark a year of being on the coast. As they begin to pass it has me thinking a lot about how much my life has changed for the better over this last year. There are things that I tackled that I had been preparing for (moving down to do work on the coast) and things that blindsided me (my Dad's cancer) but looking back over the year those things in particular, along with a slew of others have made a profound impact on my relationships and outlook.
One of the most life affirming things that happens on the coast with all the fanfare of Mardi Gras but with a slightly more profound message is the parade held in Biloxi every year for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. which ends at Yankie Stadium with a battle of the (marching) bands. Last year I missed the battle because I was picking up Shana upon her arrival to the coast but did get a chance to see the parade for a bit.
This year I had the chance to experience it in all it's glory. With floats and marching bands aplenty from as far away as Atlanta, GA, there was plenty to see in the parade that included volunteer organizations like Hands On and Americorps to a local group of elderly churchgoers that have formed a walking club to motorcycle clubs, step groups, and Mardi Gras Krewe's paying homage to one of the great civil rights leaders in our country's history.
I'm going to try and load up some of the Battle of the Marching Bands on to my YouTube account, but suffice to say it was awesome with all the bands flowing into the stadium bleachers and then playing back and forth between one another until they one by one ran out of material and dropped out.
Fashionistas in the foreground
For now though, I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quotes in lieu of Poetry Corner...
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."