Happy Mardi Gras! Or as they say in New Orleans, "laissez les bon temps rouler!"
Whether today is your last day of revelry before the lenten season or just an excuse to stock up on beads (and party on a Tuesday), I hope everyone takes a moment to observe the holiday.
The day's origins may be religious, but its truth goes beyond anyone theological line of thinking. No matter how much you love snow (big fan of the flakes here), winter can suck - the days are shorter and the cold starts to sink into your bones.
To put it simply, people just need to let off some steam. It's a truth so universally human, the Catholic Church made it official more than four hundred years ago. You may not know that the holiday has a history of satire too, where revelers openly mocked the ruling class both liturgical and political. Proving that the more things change, the more they stay the same, or as the 19th-century French satirist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr put it, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."
We may have come a long way in so many other ways, but, Mardi Gras is still that little push we all need ahead of that final stretch toward spring. Sure, we still have a little ways to go, but doesn't it feel more achievable with this fête stepping stone to get you there?
So, whether you're celebrating with beads and king cake or a donut with your morning coffee, I hope you're able to find your celebration today. Happy Mardi Gras!
...bi-daily smile...
