What Mardi Gras Means To Me

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one of the most famous and often misunderstood celebrations on the planet. While I'm not naive enough to think everything about this holiday can be sorted out within one article, I'd like to point out another side of this holiday that you may have never heard about.

The initial impression one might get when hearing the words "Mardi Gras" could involve images of drunken revelers on Bourbon Street straight out of a Girls Gone Wild video. There's no disputing that this type of activity has been and likely will continue to be a part of this annual celebration. However, this is only one part of the equation. You'll likely see images like the drunken revelers on your national media outlets when they refer to Mardi Gras. Sadly, they are missing the rest of the story.

It is true that the origins of Mardi Gras involve a period of merriment before the season of Lent. This does lend itself to the wild and drunken behavior. However, as a lifelong resident of New Orleans, I'm here to tell you that there is more to Mardi Gras than what you may have seen or heard.

In my 34+ years I've watched many a Mardi Gras. Memories of them flow through my mind like rain. Sights and sounds from parts of town away from the "Girls Gone Wild" scene, like small children seeing their first parade and catching a stuffed animal that means the world to them; elderly people, often wheelchair bound, still out to take in what could be their very last Mardi Gras; families and friends, spending the day together and forgetting their worries for a few hours; new friendships being formed as complete strangers standing next to each other on the route strike up conversations to pass the time before the parade arrives; a huge group of various races, all able to come together and peacefully enjoy an activity as one.

I can't dispute there are some things in New Orleans that happen during Mardi Gras that aren't right. Tell me this - where in this world is there perfection? We're not perfect, none of us are. Fortunately, the few incidents that can happen during Mardi Gras are a small percentage of the whole when you think of the enormous group of people that descend on this city during this time. Consider the fact that several other cities in the US have tried to hold "Mardi Gras" celebrations, which have often ended with riots or other disasters.

I guess they just don't get it yet.

As I said in the beginning of this article, I can't completely explain the true nature of Mardi Gras in one writing. In fact, you will likely get some varied opinions on what Mardi Gras means if other New Orleanians offer their views. New Orleans is a city of diverse opinions and cultures. Mardi Gras is one of the things that brings us together.

That's what Mardi Gras means to me.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Paul Heingarten is a proud New Orleans native. Take a look at www.prhsolutions.com/mardigras for an interesting New Orleans item he has put together.

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