Mardi Gras in Mobile – A Reflection

Today I watched an afternoon parade as it made its way down Broad Street in Mobile. As the crowd waited in anticipation, children were playing, and people were talking and laughing. There were lots of shared smiles and laughter. Enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and decent temperatures it was a lovely afternoon.

The animals caught my eye before and during the parade. Horses and dogs on parade and along the street. Children and animals, they made me smile.

As the parade passed by I caught a good number of beads and two doubloons. Then I noticed two young moms with their small kiddos and saw that they were trying to catch stuffed animals for their kids. I had two free hands so I caught some for them. The moon pies were also plentiful and I began picking them up. It was then that I saw a homeless fellow picking them up. Realizing that I really didn’t need them, I began picking them up and giving them to him. A smile and a nod of thanks exchanged as he put the goodies in a bag.

The parades can sometime offer a “different” perspective and you can sense an uncomfortable (for me) separation of socio-economic classes and race. But it was the interactions with the people, the children, and the animals that made me smile. A common bond seemed to be shared amongst those of us on the side of the street.

It even felt like Merton’s Fourth and Walnut epiphany as I felt connected with all these people who were shining like the sun! It was a lovely afternoon to enjoy the weather, the people, and the animals ♥️🐾