Why Quality of Life Events Like the Red River Revel & Mudbug Madness Are Important

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My wife and I drove to Natchitoches last Saturday to attend the Natchitoches Jazz & Rhythm & Blues Festival, which actually featured a lot more types of music than just rhythm & blues!  A fact I wish Id've know before hand, because I would have loved to caught the Celtic & Irish music. But we weren't able to get down there before about 5P, right when the rain really hit.  Fortunately it didn't last long, and we were able to park and make our way down to the riverfront.  Now, if you haven't been to Natchitoches lately, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the work that has been done on the riverfront. They've built a huge, covered stage with brick columns and shingled roof that is really nice. They've reworked the steep embankment to make seating with concrete walls near the new stage.

The reason I bring all this up, is because while the Commodore's were playing, I had a retrospective moment.  I began watching the crowd. There's something special that happens during live events.  Whether it's a concert, a live play, or a parade, the act of sharing that live experience with other humans forms a bond.  Last Saturday we were among a large, growing crowd during the Commodore's performance that included young and old, black and white, affluent and some not so much... and everyone was having a wonderful time.  I didn't see any animosity from one group to another.  There were no issues, fights, or conflicts.  It was a gathering of people enjoying the show and each other.  For an hour or so on the riverbank in Natchitoches, Louisiana... there were no problems in the world.  And it was a beautiful night.

Events like the Jazz & Rhythm & Blues festival, The Red River Revel and Mudbug Madness are important.  They are important because they enhance the quality of life in the area yes... but they also show us that we have much more in common with each other as humans than not.  For far too long, we haven't been able to meet, we haven't been able to interact with other people.  And we need to... we were designed to...  We can get along.  We can get together and enjoy life.